fu     Dr.  William  H.  Trueman's 
LIBRARY. 


FRANKLIN  INSTITUTE  LIBRARY 

PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

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ifarlfi*/  n  Border. 


A 

MANUAL 

OF  THE 

ART  OF  BOOKBINDING: 

CONTAINING 

FULL  INSTRUCTIONS  IN  THE  DIFFERENT  BRANCHES  OF 
FORWARDING,  GILDING,  AND  FINISHING. 

ALSO, 

f  Ije  $xt  at  IprMrag  §00&-<%ts  »n&  ppr. 

THE  WHOLE   DESIGNED  FOR 

THE  PRACTICAL  WORKMAN,  THE  AMATEUR,  AND  THE 
BOOK-COLLECTOR. 


BY 

JAMES  B.  NICHOLSON. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
HENRY    CAREY  BAIRD, 

(SUCCESSOR  TO  E.  L.  CAREY,) 

18  56. 


Co/vs 
2 

A/SZ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856,  by 

JAS.  B.  NICHOLSON, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


STEREOTYPED  BY  L.  JOHNSON  &  CO. 
PHILADELPHIA. 


Piinted  by  T.  K  &  P.  G   Collins,  ' 


PREFACE. 


The  progress  of  the  Art  of  Bookbinding 
lias  made  nearly  all  the  works  written  upon 
the  subject  obsolete;  their  descriptions  no 
longer  apply  to  the  methods  practised  by  the 
best  workmen.  Throughout  this  work,  the 
opinions  and  remarks  of  other  writers  have 
been  adopted  without  alteration,  unless  they 
came  in  contact  with  practical  knowledge. 
Every  thing  that  would  not  bear  that  test 
has  been  rejected,  and  in  lieu  thereof  those 
modes  of  operation  described  that  the  young 
binder  will  have  to  learn  and  practise  if  he  de- 
sires to  emulate  the  skill  of  the  best  artists. 

The  plan  of  the  work  is  taken  from 
"Arnett's  Bibliopegia  and  every  thing 
given  in  that  work  that  has  any  approach 
to  utility  will  be  found  in  these  pages.  It 
was  at  first  intended  merely  to  revise  that 
production;  but  during  the  progress  of  re- 
vision so  much  was  rejected  that  it  was 

1*  5 


7  &3  ^  o 


6 


PREFACE. 


deemed  better  to  pass  under  notice  at  the 
same  time  the  labours  of  others.  "Cun- 
dall's  Ornamental  Art"  has  furnished  the 
early  incidents  in  the  "  Sketch  of  the  Pro- 
gress of  the  Art  of  Bookbinding;"  and,  as 
the  best  authority  upon  the  subject,  "  Wool- 
nough's  Art  of  Marbling"  has  been  adapted 
to  this  country.  Mr.  Leigh  ton's  "  Sugges- 
tions in  Design"  has  been  laid  under  contri- 
bution in  order  to  enrich  the  subject  of 
Ornamental  Art.  The  H  London  Friendly 
Finishers'  Circulars"  have  been  a  valuable 
acquisition  to  the  writer,  and  it  is  trusted 
will  make  this  work  equally  so  to  the  young 
finisher.  "Cowie's  Bookbinders'  Manual." 
"Arnetfs  School  of  Design/'  "Gibb's  Hand- 
book of  Ornament/'  and  "Scott's  Essay  on 
Ornamental  Art/'  in  addition  to  those  ac- 
knowledged in  the  body  of  the  work,  have 
supplied  some  valuable  hints. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  volume  will  prove 
useful  to  those  forming  libraries,  by  impart- 
ing correct  information  upon  subjects  that  to 
the  book-collector  are  important,  and  that  its 
tendencies  will  be  to  increase  and  strengthen 
a  love  for  the  art.  J.  B.  N. 

Philadelphia,  1856. 


CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION. 

PAGE 

Sketch  of  the  Progress  of  Bookbinding   9 

PART  I. 

Sheet-Work   34 

PART  II. 

Forwarding   59 

The  Edges   74 

Marbling   82 

Gilding  the  Edges   130 

Covering   141 

Half-Binding   149 

Blank  Binding   151 

Boarding   169 

Cloth-Work   170 

7 


PART  III. 

PAGE 

Ornamental  Art   178 

Finishing : 

Taste  and  Design   186 

Styles   198 

Gilding   215 

Illuminated  Binding   227 

Blind  Tooling   230 

Antique   231 

Colouring   236 

Marbling   246 

Uniform  Colours   256 

Gold  Marbles,  Landscapes,  &c   260 

Inlaid  Ornaments   270 

Harmony  of  Colours   272 

Pasting  Down,  &c   273 

Stamp  or  Press-Work   279 

Restoring  the  Bindings  of  Old  Books   289 

Supplying  Imperfections  in  Old  Books   290 

Hints  to  Book-Collectors   292 

Technical  Terms   297 


INTRODUCTION. 


SKETCH  OF  THE  PROGRESS  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


The  earliest  records  of  Bookbinding  that  exist 
prove  that  the  art  has  been  practised  for  nearly 
two  thousand  years.  In  past  ages,  books  were 
written  on  long  scrolls  of  parchment  or  papyrus, 
and  were  rolled  up  and  fastened  with  a  thong  which 
was  made  of  coloured  leather  and  often  highly  orna- 
mented. These  scrolls  were  usually  attached  to 
one,  or,  occasionally,  two  rollers  of  wood  or  ivory, 
or  sometimes  of  gold,  much  as  our  large  maps  are 
now  mounted,  and  the  bosses  at  the  end  of  the 
rollers  were  frequently  highly  decorated.  This 
decoration  may  be  called  the  first  step  toward  Or- 
namental Art  applied  to  the  exterior  of  books. 

A  learned  Athenian,  named  Phillatius,  to  whom 

his  countrymen  erected  a  statue,  at  length  found 

out  a  means  of  binding  books  with  glue.    The  sheets 

of  vellum  or  papyrus  were  gathered  two  or  four 

9 


10 


INTRODUCTION. 


together,  sewn  much  in  the  same  way  as  at  the 
present  day ;  and  then,  in  order  to  preserve  these 
sheets,  there  came,  as  a  matter  of  course,  a  cover- 
ing for  the  book. 

The  probability  is  that  the  first  book-covers  were 
of  wood — plain  oaken  boards,  perhaps ;  then,  as  books 
in  those  days  were  all  in  manuscript,  and  very  valu- 
able, carved  oak  bindings  were  given  to  those  which 
were  the  most  decorated  within. 

To  cover  the  plain  wooden  board  with  vellum  or 
leather  would,  in  the  course  of  years,  be  too  appa- 
rent an  improvement  to  be  neglected ;  and  specimens 
of  books  so  bound,  of  the  great  antiquity  of  which 
there  are  undoubted  proofs,  exist  at  the  present  day. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  Eomans  car- 
ried the  Art  of  Binding  to  considerable  perfection. 
Some  of  the  public  offices  had  books  called  Dyp- 
tichs,*  in  which  their  acts  were  written.  The  binding 


*  "  The  antiquity  of  illuminated  missals  has  been  traced, 
conjecturally,  even  to  the  time  of  the  apostles  themselves. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  missive  letters  were 
usually  written  on  tablets  of  wood,  hollowed  so  as  to  present 
something  of  the  appearance  of  a  boy's  slate  in  a  frame. 
Two  of  these  were  placed  face  to  face  to  preserve  the  writing, 
which  was  on  wax,  and  a  pair  of  boards  thus  prepared  was 
called  a  Dyptich.    The  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  and  the  other 


INTRODUCTION. 


11 


of  one  of  these  in  carved  wood  is  thus  described : — 
"  Seated  in  the  centre  of  each  board  is  a  consul, 
holding  in  one  hand  a  baton,  and  in  the  other,  up- 
raised, a  purse,  as  if  in  the  act  of  throwing  it  to 
some  victor  in  the  games.  Above  these  are  minia- 
ture portraits,  various  other  ornaments,  and  an  in- 
scription ;  below,  on  one  board,  are  two  men  leading 
out  horses  for  the  race,  and  beneath  them  a  group, 
with  a  ludicrous  representation  of  two  other  men, 
exhibiting  their  endurance  of  pain  by  allowing  crabs 
to  fasten  on  their  noses."  A  small  print  of  an 
ivory  dyptich  of  the  fifth  century,  in  Mr.  Arnett's 
"Books  of  the  Ancients,"  may  be  consulted  as  a 
specimen  of  the  kind  of  ornament  then  adopted. 

apostles  to  the  primitive  churches  were,  in  fact,  missive 
letters  despatched  to  their  distant  congregations  ;  and  there 
is  every  probability  that  imaginary  or  real  portraits  of  the 
writers  accompanied  the  letters,  and  headed  the  contents 
of  the  Christian  dyptichs,  in  order  to  insure  to  them  the 
same  degree  of  reverence  which  was  paid  to  the  missives 
of  the  government  when  headed  by  the  imperial  effigies. 

"  The  compact  form  of  the  dyptich  suited  the  purposes 
of  a  movable  altar-piece  admirably.  And  the  names 
dyptic  or  triptic,  which  implied  at  first  but  a  double  or 
triple  page,  came  with  time  to  designate  those  folding  altar- 
pieces  so  frequently  found  in  the  earliest  Christian  churches." 
— Lady  Calcottfs  Essay. 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


An  old  writer  says,  that  about  the  time  of  the  Chris- 
tian era  the  books  of  the  Romans  were  covered  with 
red,  yellow,  green,  and  purple  leather,  and  deco- 
rated with  gold  and  silver. 

If  we  pass  on  to  a  few  centuries  later,  we  find 
that  the  monks  were  almost  the  only  literati.  They 
wrote  chiefly  on  subjects  of  religion,  and  bestowed 
the  greatest  pains  upon  the  internal  and  external 
decorations  of  their  books.  In  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury some  of  the  gospels,  missals,  and  other  service- 
books  for  the  Greek  and  Roman  churches,  were 
ornamented  with  silver  and  gold,  apparently  wrought 
by  the  hammer ;  sometimes  they  were  enamelled  and 
enriched  with  precious  stones,  and  pearls  of  great 
value.  Carved  oak  figures  of  the  Virgin,  or  the 
Infant  Saviour,  or  of  the  Crucifixion,  were  also  the 
frequent  adornments  of  the  outside  covers.  One 
of  these  ancient  relics  is  thus  described  by  the 
librarian  of  Henry  VIII. 

"  All  I  have  to  do  is  to  observe,  that  this  book 
(which  the  more  I  have  look'd  upon  the  more  I 
have  always  admired)  hath  two  thick  boards,  each 
about  an  inch  in  thickness,  for  its  covers,  and  that 
they  were  joined  with  the  book  by  large  leather 
thongs,  which  boards  are  now  by  length  of  time 
become  very  loose.    Tho'  I  have  seen  a  vast  num- 


INTRODUCTION. 


13 


ber  of  old  books  and  oftentimes  examined  their 
covers,  yet  I  do  not  remember  I  ever  saw  boards 
upon  any  of  them  of  so  great  thickness  as  these. 
This  was  the  manner  of  Binding,  it  seems,  of  those 
times,  especially  if  the  books  were  books  of  extra- 
ordinary value,  as  this  is.  'Twas  usual  to  cut  Let- 
ters in  the  Covers,  and  such  letters  were  the  better 
preserved  by  having  them  placed  in  some  hollow 
part,  which  might  easily  be  made  if  the  boards  were 
pretty  thick.  I  suppose,  therefore,  that  even  the 
copies  of  Gregory  $  Pastoral  that  were  given  to 
Cathedral  Churches  by  King  Alfred  had  such  thick 
covers  also,  that  these  by  the  JEstals  might  be  fix'd 
the  -better.  What  makes  me  think  so  is,  that  the 
outside  of  one  of  the  covers  of  this  book  is  made 
hollow,  and  there  is  a  rude  sort  of  figure  upon  a 
brass  plate  that  is  fastened  within  the  hollow  part, 
which  figure  I  take  to  have  been  designed  for  the 
Virgin  Mary,  to  whom  the  Abbey  was  dedicated. 
Over  it  there  was  once  fastened  another  much 
larger  plate,  as  is  plain  from  the  Nails  that  fixed 
it  and  from  some  other  small  indications  now  ex- 
tant,— and  this  'tis  likely  was  of  silver,  and  perhaps 
there  was  an  anathema  against  the  Person  that 
should  presume  to  alienate  it,  engraved  upon  it — 
together  with  the  Name  of  the  Person  (who  it  may 

2 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


be  was  Roger  Poure)  that  was  the  Donor  of  the 
Book.  This  will  make  it  to  have  been  nothing  else 
but  an  iEstal,  such  a  one  (tho'  not  so  valuable)  as 
was  fastened  upon  Crregory's  Pastoral.  But  this  I 
leave  to  every  man's  judgment."* 

At  a  later  period  we  find  on  the  binding  of  books 
gold  and  silver  ornaments  of  very  beautiful  design, 
enclosing  precious  stones  of  great  variety ;  carved 
ivory  tablets  let  into  framework  of  carved  oak ; 
rich-coloured  velvets,  edged  with  morocco,  with 
bosses,  clasps,  and  corners  of  solid  gold ;  white  vel- 
lum stamped  in  gold  and  blind  tooling;  and  mo- 
rocco and  calf  covers  inlaid  with  various  colours 
and  adorned  in  every  conceivable  way.  This  was 
at  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  and  in  the  fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  centuries,  when  the  love  of  Art  was 
universal,  in  the  land  where  Michael  Angelo,  and 
Raffaelle,  and  Da  Vinci  produced  their  great  works, 
and  where,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Medici,  the 
Art  of  Bookbinding  as  well  as  all  other  arts  was 
encouraged. 

Mr.  Dibdin,  in  his  "  Bibliographical  Decameron," 
to  which  we  are  much  indebted,  has  given  an  account 
of  the  library  of  Corvinus,  King  of  Hungary,  who 


*  Leland's  Itin.  vol.  ii.  p.  867  Oxford,  1769. 


INTRODUCTION. 


15 


died  at  Buda  about  the  year  1490.  This  library 
consisted  of  about  thirty  thousand  volumes,  mostly 
manuscripts  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  poets  and  his- 
torians, and  was  contained  in  large  vaulted  galleries, 
in  which,  among  other  works  of  art,  were  two  foun- 
tains, one  of  marble  and  the  other  of  silver.  The 
binding  of  the  books  were  mostly  of  brocade,  pro- 
tected with  bosses  and  clasps  of  gold  and  silver; 
and  these,  alas  I  were  the  subsequent  cause  of  the 
almost  entire  destruction  of  the  library ;  for,  when 
the  city  of  Buda  was  taken  by  assault,  in  1526,  the 
Turkish  soldiers  tore  the  precious  volumes  from 
their  covers  for  the  sake  of  the  ornaments  that 
were  upon  them. 

The  general  use  of  calf  and  morocco  binding 
seems  to  have  followed  the  invention  of  printing. 
There  are  many  printed  books,  still  in  good  pre- 
servation, that  were  bound  in  calf  with  oaken  boards 
at  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  and  beginning  of  the 
sixteenth  centuries.  These  arc  mostly  stamped  with 
gold  or  blind  tools.  The  earliest  of  these  tools 
generally  represent  figures,  such  as  Christ,  St.  Paul, 
the  Virgin,  coats  of  arms,  legends,  and  monograms, 
according  to  the  contents  of  the  book.  Afterward 
attempts  were  made  to  produce  pictures,  but  these 
were  necessarily  bad. 


16 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  England,  the  earliest  binding  with  ornament 
was  about  the  time  of  Henry  VII. ,  when  we  find  the 
royal  arms  supported  by  two  angels;  the  heraldic 
badge  of  the  double  rose  and  pomegranate,  the 
fleur-de-lys,  the  portcullis,  the  emblems  of  the 
evangelists,  and  small  ornaments  of  grotesque  ani- 
mals. There  are  in  the  British  Museum  and  in  the 
Record  Office  many  English  bindings  which  un- 
doubtedly were  executed  in  the  time  of  Henry  VII. 

In  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  about  1538,  Grafton, 
the  printer,  undertook  to  print  the  great  Bible. 
Not  finding  sufficient  men  or  types  in  England,  he 
Yfent  to  Paris  and  there  commenced  it.  He  had  not, 
however,  proceeded  far,  before  he  was  stopped  in 
the  progress  of  this  heretical  book;  and  he  then 
took  over  to  England  the  presses,  type,  printers, 
and  bookbinders,  and  finished  the  work  in  1539. 
The  edition  consisted  of  2500  copies,  one  of  which 
was  set  up  in  every  church  in  England,  secured  to 
a  desk  by  a  chain.  Within  three  years  there  were 
seven  distinct  editions  of  this  work ;  which,  suppos- 
ing each  edition  to  consist  of  the  same  number  of 
copies  as  the  first,  would  amount  to  17,500  folio 
volumes.  The  binding,  therefore,  of  so  great  a 
number  of  this  book  would  alone  give  some  import- 
ance to  the  Art  of  Bookbinding  at  that  period.  We 


INTRODUCTION. 


17 


know  that  Henry  VIII.  had  many  splendid  volumes 
bound  in  velvet  with  gold  bosses  and  ornaments.  In 
his  reign  the  stamping  of  tools  in  gold  appears  to 
have  been  first  introduced  in  England;  and  some 
beautiful  rolls,  probably  from  Holbein's  designs, 
wrere  used  as  well  on  the  sides  as  on  the  gilded  edges 
of  books  still  in  existence. 

In  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  some  exquisite  bindings 
were  done  in  embroidery.  The  queen  herself  used 
to  work  covers  with  gold  and  silver  thread,  spangles, 
and  coloured  silk,  for  Bibles  and  other  devotional 
books  which  she  presented  to  her  maids  of  honour 
and  her  friends.  From  these  brilliant  external  deco- 
rations, many  of  them  entirely  inappropriate  for  a 
book,  we  turn  to  a  purer  taste,  the  exercise  of  which 
will  be  found  to  reside  within  the  peculiar  limits  of 
the  Bookbinder's  Art. 

We  return  to  Continental  binding,  and  pass  to 

the  time  of  the  ever-famous  Jean  Grolier.  This 

nobleman  was  the  first  to  introduce  lettering  upon 

the  back;  and  he  seems  to  have  taken  especial 

delight  in  having  the  sides  of  his  books  ornamented 

with  very  beautiful  and  elaborate  patterns,  said  to 

have  been  drawn  by  his  own  hand.    Many  of  them 

exist  at  the  present  day,  either  original  Groliers  or 

copies.    Books  from  his  library  are  eagerly  sought 

2*, 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

for.  All  Grolier's  books  were  bound  in  smooth 
morocco  or  calf,  the  pattern  being  formed  of  inter- 
sected line-work,  finished  by  hand  with  a  fine  one- 
line  fillet  and  gouges  to  correspond,  with  the 
occasional  introduction  of  a  conventional  flower. 
Sometimes  also  the  patterns  were  inlaid  with  mo- 
rocco of  different  colours ;  and  it  is  our  opinion  that 
no  style  of  book-ornamentation  has  been  since  in- 
troduced that  is  worthy  of  entirely  superseding  the 
Grolier,  a  specimen  of  which  will  be  given  when 
treating  on  style.  Very  many  of  the  Chevalier's 
volumes  have  the  Latin  inscription  "  Johanni  Gro- 
lierii  et  amicorum"  at  the  bottom,  signifying  that 
Grolier  wished  his  books  to  be  used  by  his  friends 
as  well  as  by  himself.  Connoisseurs  rejoice  when 
they  meet  with  a  work  from  the  library  of  Maioli, 
a  disciple  of  Grolier,  or  those  of  Diana  of  Poictiers, 
the  mistress  of  Henry  II.,  and  whose  books,  in 
consequence  of  her  influence  and  taste,  are  elegantly 
bound.  It  is  supposed  that  the  bindings  for  Diana 
of  Poictiers  were,  designed  by  Petit  Bernard.  They 
were  bound  in  morocco  of  all  colours,  and  usually 
ornamented  with  the  emblems  of  the  crescent  and 
bow  and  quiver. 

Among  the  earliest  French  binders  must  be  men- 
tioned Padeloup,  Derome,  and  De  Seuil.  Pope 


INTRODUCTION. 


19 


celebrates  De  Seuil  in  one  of  his  poems.  Derome's 
plain  morocco  bindings  are  excellent;  they  are 
sewn  on  raised  bands,  are  firm  and  compact,  and 
the  solid  gilding  upon  the  edges  is  worthy  of  com- 
mendation; his  dentelle  borders  are  fine,  but  unfor- 
tunately he  was  not  careful  of  the  trenchant  steel. 
Padeloup's  tooling  or  ornaments  consist  chiefly  of 
small  dots,  and  the  forms  he  invented  are  elegant. 
When  met  with  in  good  state,  they  look  like  gold 
lace  upon  the  sides  and  backs  of  the  books. 

The  bindings  of  books  which  belonged  to  De  Thou 
are  highly  prized.  He  possessed  a  magnificent  library, 
mostly  bound  in  smooth  deep-toned  red,  yellow,  and 
green  morocco.  De  Thou  died  in  1617.  The 
Chevalier  D'Eon  used  to  bind  books  in  a  sort  of 
Etruscan  calf,  the  ornaments  on  which  were  copied 
from  the  Etruscan  vases.  The  use  of  the  black  and 
red  dyes  have  very  frequently  corroded  the  leather. 

We  must  now  resume  our  account  of  binding  in 
England. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  last  century  the 
general  bindings  were,  with  the  exception  of  what 
was  called  Cambridge  binding,  (from  being  executed 
at  that  place,)  of  a  depreciated  character,  many  of 
them  very  clumsy,  and  devoid  of  taste  in  their  orna- 
ment.   Toward  the  middle  some  degree  of  atten- 


20 


INTRODUCTION. 


tion  had  begun  to  be  paid  to  the  improvement  of 
bindings,  the  general  kinds  being,  up  to  the  end  of 
the  eighteenth  century,  nearly  all  executed  to  one 
pattern, — viz. :  the  sides  marbled,  the  backs  coloured 
brown,  with  morocco  lettering-pieces,  and  gilt. 

The  artists  of  the  earlier  part  of  the  period  of 
which  we  have  been  treating  must  have  been  nume- 
rous; but  few  are  known.  Two  German  binders, 
of  the  name  of  Baumgarten  and  Benedict,  were  of 
considerable  note  and  in  extensive  employment  in 
London  during  the  early  part  of  this  century.  The 
bindings  of  Oxford  were  also  very  good  at  this 
period.  Who  the  distinguished  parties  at  Oxford 
were  has  not  been  recorded;  but  a  person  of  the 
name  of  Dawson,  then  living  at  Cambridge,  has  the 
reputation  of  being  a  clever  artist,  and  may  be  pro- 
nounced as  the  binder  of  many  of  the  substantial 
volumes  still  possessing  the  distinctive  binding  we 
have  before  referred  to.  Baumgarten  and  Benedict 
would,  doubtless,  be  employed  in  every  style  of 
binding  of  their  day,  but  the  chief  characteristics  of 
their  efforts  are  good  substantial  volumes  in  russia, 
with  marbled  edges. 

To  these  succeeded  Mr.  John  Mackinlay  and  two 
other  Binders,  named  Kalthoeber  and  Staggemier; 
but  to  Mackinlay  may,  perhaps,  be  attributed  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


21 


first  impulse  given  to  the  improvements  which  have 
been  introduced  into  bindings.  He  was  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  creditable  binders  in  London  of 
the  period  of  which  we  are  treating.  Several  spe- 
cimens of  his,  in  public  and  private  libraries,  remain 
to  justify  the  character  given  of  him ;  and  of  the 
numerous  artists  that  his  office  produced,  many  have 
since  given  evidence,  by  their  work,  that  the  lessons 
they  received  were  of  a  high  character.  The  spe- 
cimens alluded  to  exhibit  a  degree  of  care,  ingenuity, 
and  skill,  highly  creditable  to  them  as  binders. 
Though  well  executed,  they  did  not  pay  the  time  and 
attention  devoted,  in  later  times,  to  the  finishing  or 
gilding  of  their  work,  and  it  was  not  till  Eoger 
Payne  exhibited  the  handiwork  of  the  craft,  that 
any  decided  impulse  was  given  to  the  progress  of 
the  art,  which  has  gone  on,  under  able  successors, 
from  one  improvement  to  another  till  there  exists 
much  doubt  whether  or  no  we  have  not  now,  so  far 
as  mechanical  execution  depends,  arrived  at  perfec- 
tion. About  the  year  1770  Roger  Payne  went  to 
London,  and,  as  his  history  is  an  epoch  in  the  history 
of  the  art,  we  will  devote  some  space  to  it. 

The  personal  history  of  Eoger  Payne  is  one 
among  the  many  of  the  ability  of  a  man  being  ren- 
dered- nearly  useless  by  the  dissoluteness  of  his 


22 


INTRODUCTION. 


habits.  He  stands  an  example  to  the  young,  of 
mere  talent,  unattended  with  perseverance  and 
industry,  never  leading  to  distinction, — of  great 
ability,  clouded  by  intemperance  and  consequent 
indiscretion,  causing  the  world  only  to  regret  how 
much  may  have  been  lost  that  might  have  been 
developed  had  the  individual's  course  been  different 
and  his  excellences  directed  so  as  to  have  produced 
the  best  results. 

Roger  Payne  was  a  native  of  Windsor  Forest,  and 
first  became  initiated  in  the  rudiments  of  the  art  he 
afterward  became  so  distinguished  a  professor  of, 
under  the  auspices  of  Mr.  Pote,  bookseller  to  Eton 
College.  From  this  place  he  went  to  London,  where 
he  was  first  employed  by  Mr.  Thomas  Osborne,  the 
bookseller,  of  Holborn,  London.  Disagreeing  on 
some  matters,  he  subsequently  obtained  employment 
from  Mr.  Thomas  Payne,  of  the  King's  Mews,  St. 
Martin's,  who  ever  after  proved  a  friend  to  him. 
Mr.  Payne  established  him  in  business  near  Leices- 
ter Square,  about  the  year  1769-70,  and  the 
encouragement  he  received  from  his  patron,  and 
many  wealthy  possessors  of  libraries,  was  such  that 
the  happiest  results  and  a  long  career  of  prosperity 
might  have  been  anticipated.  His  talents  as  an 
artist,  particularly  in  the  finishing  department,  were 


INTRODUCTION. 


23 


of  the  first  order,  and  such  as,  up  to  his  time,  had 
not  been  developed  by  any  other  of  his  countrymen. 

He  adopted  a  style  peculiarly  his  own,  uniting 
a  classical  taste  in  the  formation  of  his  designs, 
and  much  judgment  in  the  selection  of  such  orna- 
ment as  was  applicable  to  the  nature  of  the  work 
it  was  to  embellish.  Many  of  these  he  made  him- 
self of  iron,  and  some  are  yet  preserved  as  curiosi- 
ties and  specimens  of  the  skill  of  the  man.  To  this 
occupation  he  may  have  been  at  times  driven  from 
lack  of  money  to  procure  them  from  the  tool- 
cutters;  but  it  cannot  be  set  down  as  being  gene- 
rally so,  for,  in  the  formation  of  the  designs  in 
which  he  so  much  excelled,  it  is  but  reasonable  to 
suppose,  arguing  upon  the  practice  of  some  others 
in  later  times,  he  found  it  readier  and  more  expe- 
dient to  manufacture  certain  lines,  curves,  &c.  on 
the  occasion.  Be  this  as  it  may,  he  succeeded  in 
executing  binding  in  so  superior  a  manner  as  to 
have  no  rival  and  to  command  the  admiration  of 
the  most  fastidious  book-lover  of  his  time.  He  had 
full  employment  from  the  noble  and  wealthy,  and 
the  estimation  his  bindings  are  still  held  in  is  a 
sufficient  proof  of  the  satisfaction  he  gave  his  em- 
ployers. His  best  work  is  in  Earl  Spencer's 
library. 


24 


INTRODUCTION. 


His  reputation  as  an  artist  of  the  greatest  merit 
was  obscured,  and  eventually  nearly  lost,  by  his 
intemperate  habits.  He  loved  drink  better  than 
meat.  Of  this  propensity  an  anecdote  is  related 
of  a  memorandum  of  money  spent,  and  kept  by 
himself,  which  runs  thus : — 

For  bacon  1  halfpenny. 

For  liquor  1  shilling. 

No  wonder  then,  with  habits  like  these,  that  the 
efforts  of  his  patron,  in  fixing  him,  were  rendered 
of  no  avail.  Instead  of  rising  to  that  station  his 
great  talent  would  have  led  to,  he  fell  by  his  disso- 
lute conduct  to  the  lowest  depths  of  misery  and 
wretchedness.  In  his  wretched  working-room  was 
executed  the  most  splendid  specimens  of  binding;, 
and  here  on  the  same  shelf  were  mixed  together  old 
shoes  and  precious  leaves — bread  and  cheese,  with 
the  most  valuable  and  costly  of  MSS.  or  early- 
printed  books. 

That  he  was  characteristic  or  eccentric  may  be 
judged  by  what  has  been  related  of  him.  He  ap- 
pears to  have  also  been  a  poet  on  the  subject  of  his 
unfortunate  propensity,  as  the  following  extract 
from  a  copy  of  verses  sent  with  a  bill  to  Mr.  Evans, 
for  binding  "  Barry  on  the  Wines  of  the  Ancients/' 
proves. 


INTRODUCTION. 


25 


"  Homer  the  bard,  who  sung  in  highest  strains 
The  festive  gift,  a  goblet  for  his  pains ; 
Falernian  gave  Horace,  Virgil  fire, 
And  Barley  Wine  my  British  Muse  inspire. 
Barley  Wine  first  from  Egypt's  learned  shore ; 
And  this  the  gift  to  me  of  Calvert's  store." 

The  following  bill  is,  like  himself,  a  curiosity :  — 

"  Vanerii  Praedium  Eusticum.  Parisiis.  mdcclxxiv. 

Bound  in  the  very  best  manner  in  the  finest  Green  Morocco, 

The  back  lined  with  Red  Morrocco. 
"  Fine  Drawing  paper  and  very  neat  Morrocco  *] 

Joints  inside.    Their  was  a  few  leaves  stained  f  0  :  0  :  6 

at  the  foredge,  which  is  washed  and  cleaned...  J 


"  The  subject  of  the  Book  being  Rusticum,  I 
have  ventured  to  putt  The  Vine  Wreath  on  it. 
I  hope  I  have  not  bound  it  in  too  rich  a  manner 
for  the  Book.  It  takes  up  a  great  deal  of  time 
to  do  these  Vine  Wreaths.  I  guess  within  Time 
I  am  certain  of  measuring  and  working  the 
different  and  various  small  tools  required  to  fill 
up  the  Vine  Wreath  that  it  takes  very  near  3 
days'  work  in  finishing  the  two  sides  only  of  the 
Book — but  I  wished  to  do  my  best  for  the  Work — 
and  at  the  same  time  I  cannot  expect  to  charge  a 
full  and  proper  price  for  the  Work,  and  hope  that 
the  price  will  not  only  be  found  reasonable  but 
cheap  0 : 18  :  0" 


3 


26 


INTRODUCTION. 


Roger  commenced  business  in  partnership  with 
his  brother  Thomas  Payne,  and  subsequently  was  in 
like  manner  connected  with  one  Richard  Weir,  but 
did  not  long  agree  with  either,  so  that  separation 
speedily  took  place.  He  afterward  worked  under 
the  roof  of  Mr.  Mackinlay,  but  his  later  efforts 
showed  that  he  had  lost  much  of  that  ability  he  had 
been  so  largely  endowed  with.  Pressed  down  with 
poverty  and  disease,  he  breathed  his  last  in  Duke's 
Court,  St.  Martin's  Lane,  on  the  20th  of  November, 
1797.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the  burying- 
ground  of  St.  Martin's-in-the-Fields,  at  the  expense 
of  Mr.  Thomas  Payne,  who,  as  before  stated,  had 
been  his  early  friend,  and  who,  for  the  last  eight 
years  of  his  life,  had  rendered  him  a  regular  pecu- 
niary assistance  both  for  the  support  of  his  body 
and  the  performance  of  his  work. 

Of  the  excellencies  and  defects  of  his  bindings, 
Dr.  Dibdin,  in  his  "Bibliographer's  Decameron," 
has  thus  recorded  his  opinion  : — 

"  The  great  merit  of  Roger  Payne  lay  in  his 
taste — in  his  choice  of  ornaments,  and  especially 
in  the  working  of  them.  It  is  impossible  to  excel 
him  in  these  two  particulars.  His  favourite  colour 
was  that  of  olive,  which  he  called  Venetian.  In 
his  Jming,  joints,  and  inside  ornaments,  our  hero 


INTRODUCTION. 


27 


generally,  and  sometimes  melancholily,  failed.  He 
was  fond  of  what  he  called  purple  paper,  the  colour 
of  which  was  as  violent  as  its  texture  was  coarse. 
It  was  liable  also  to  change  and  become  spotty,  and 
as  a  harmonizing  colour  with  olive  it  was  odiously 
discordant.  The  joints  of  his  books  were  generally 
disjointed,  uneven,  carelessly  tooled,  and  having 
a  very  unfinished  appearance.  His  backs  are 
boasted  of  for  their  firmness.  His  work  excel- 
lently forwarded — every  sheet  fairly  and  bona  fide 
stitched  into  the  back,  which  was  afterward  usually 
coated  in  russia;  but  his  minor  volumes  did  not 
open  well  in  consequence.  He  was  too  fond  of  thin 
boards,  which,  in  folios,  produces  an  uncomfortable 
effect,  from  fear  of  their  being  inadequate  to  sustain 
the  weight  of  the  envelop." 

Though  Roger  Payne's  career  had  not  been  suc- 
cessful, so  far  as  he  was  personally  concerned,  it 
had  the  effect  of  benefiting  the  whole  race  of  Eng- 
lish bookbinders.  A  new  stimulus  had  been  given 
to  the  trade,  and  a  new  and  chastened  style  intro- 
duced among  the  more  talented  artists  of  the  metro- 
polis. The  unmeaning  ornaments  we  have  before 
alluded  to  were  discarded,  and  a  series  of  classical, 
geometrical,  and  highly-finished  designs  adopted. 
The  contemporaries  of  Roger — Kalthoeber,  Stag- 


* 

28  INTRODUCTION. 

gemier,  Walther,  Hering,  Falkner,  &c. — exerted 
themselves  with  a  generous  rivalry  to  execute  the 
most  approved  bindings. 

Mr.  Mackenzie  deserves  to  be  mentioned  with 
respect  among  modern  binders.  Charles  Lewis,  so 
highly  eulogized  by  Mr.  Dibdin,  attained  great 
celebrity,  and  his  bindings  are  much  prized.  His 
style  of  ornament  was  very  neat,  the  panels  of  the 
backs  generally  double-mitred,  and  the  sides  finished 
in  a  corresponding  manner.  Mr.  Clarke  deserves 
especial  commendation ;  for  tree-marbled  calf  he 
stands  unrivalled,  although  Mr.  Riviere  has  executed 
some  beautiful  specimens.  Mr.  Bedford  also  enjoys 
considerable  reputation ;  but  it  is  to  Mr.  Hayday 
that  the  leading  position  among  the  London  artists 
is  now  generally  assigned.  His  quaint  old-fashioned 
morocco  bindings  are  inimitable.  Lady  Willoughby's 
Diary  has  been  extensively  copied,  but  not  equalled. 
His  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  are  well  forwarded ; 
the  edges  are  solidly  gilt  with  gold  of  a  very  deep 
colour,  while  the  finishing  is  rich  and  massive  without 
being  gaudy.  A  book  in  the  library  of  J.  W.  King 
Eyton,  Esq.,  bound  by  Hayday,  is  thus  described : — 

"  The  work  is  a  large  paper  copy  of  the  late  Mr. 
Blakeway's  6  Sheriffs  of  Shropshire,'  in  imperial 
folio,  with  the  armorial  bearings  beautifully  coloured. 


INTRODUCTION. 


29 


The  binding  is  of  blood-coloured  morocco,  extend- 
ing an  inch  and  a  half  all  round  the  inside  of  the 
cover,  on  which  is  placed  a  bold  but  open  border 
tooled  in  gold,  forming  a  fine  relief  to  the  rest  of 
the  inside,  which  is  in  purple,  elegantly  worked  all 
over  in  hexagons  running  into  each  other  in  the 
Venetian  style.  In  each  compartment  is  placed  the 
lion  rampant  and  fleur-de-lis  alternately.  The  fly- 
leaves are  of  vellum,  ornamented  with  two  narrow 
gold  lines,  and  the  edges  are  tooled.  The  back 
consists  of  hexagons,  inlaid  with  purple,  containing 
the  lion  and  fleur-de-lis  aforesaid,  but  somewhat 
smaller  than  those  in  the  interior.  The  design  on 
the  outside  is  a  triumphal  arch,  occupying  the  entire 
side,  highly  enriched,  with  its  cornices,  mouldings, 
&c.  executed  in  suitable  small  ornamental  work ; 
from  its  columns,  (which  are  wreathed  with  laurel,) 
and  other  parts  of  the  structure,  are  suspended  the 
shields  of  the  Sheriffs,  seventy  in  number,  the 
quarterings  of  which,  with  their  frets,  bends,  &c, 
are  curiously  inlaid  in  different  colours  of  morocco, 
and,  with  the  ornamental  parts  of  the  bearings, 
have  been  blazoned  with  heraldic  accuracy  on  both 
sides  of  the  volume.  When  we  state  that  more  than 
57,000  impressions  of  tools  have  been  required  to 
produce  this  wonderful  exemplar  of  ingenuity  and 

3* 


30 


INTRODUCTION. 


skill,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  time  and 
labour  necessary  for  its  execution." 

This  volume  was  finished  by  Thomas  Hussey,  who 
is  now  employed  in  Philadelphia,  and  who  has  in 
his  possession  the  patterns  executed  upon  the  sides 
and  back. 

The  French  degenerated  in  binding  from  the  time  of 
Louis  XIV.  until  they  became  far  inferior  to  the 
English.  This  continued  to  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century ;  the  books  bound  for  the  Emperor 
Napoleon,  upon  which  no  expense  appears  to  have 
been  spared,  are  clumsy,  disjointed,  and  the  tools 
coarse  and  unevenly  worked.  They  were  generally 
bound  in  red  morocco,  with  morocco  joints,  lined 
with  purple  silk,  upon  which  the  imperial  bee  was 
stamped  repeatedly.  Thouvenin  enjoys  the  honour 
of  rescuing  the  art  from  its  long-continued  degrada- 
tion in  France,  and  of  founding  a  school  whose  dis- 
ciples are  now  acknowledged  to  rank  with  the  great 
masters  of  the  art.  His  tools  and  patterns  were 
designed  and  cut  by  artists  in  his  employ ;  his  esta- 
blishment was  on  a  large  scale ;  but  at  his  death  he 
left  nothing  behind  him  but  his  reputation  as  an 
artist,  to  stimulate  others  to  attain  excellence  in 
workmanship  and  a  cultivated  taste  in  ornament 
and  design.    Among  the  most  celebrated  binders  of 


INTRODUCTION. 


31 


the  present  day  in  France  are,  Trautz  et  Bauzonnet, 
Niedre,  Duru,  Cape  and  Lortic.  The  books  of 
these  artists  are  distinguished  for  solidity,  square- 
ness, freedom  of  the  joints,  firmness  of  the  heads 
and  back,  and  extreme  nicety  of  finish.  The  fore- 
edges  are  gilt  with  the  round  in  them,  giving  them 
a  solid  rich  appearance,  as  yet  unequalled.  The  ma- 
terial employed  is  of  the  choicest  kind,— soft,  rich 
Levant  morocco  being  the  favourite  covering  for 
choice  books.  This  leather,  in  the  hands  of  an 
ordinary  workman,  would  make  a  clumsy  covering 
upon  account  of  its  great  thickness ;  for  it  cannot 
be  shaved  down  by  a  skin-dresser  without  destroy- 
ing the  natural  grain  of  the  leather,  and,  with  it,  its 
velvet-like  richness  and  beauty ;  and  yet,  under  the 
manipulations  of  these  French  artists,  it  becomes  one 
of  the  most  plastic  of  materials ;  rare  volumes  of  the 
smallest  dimensions,  containing  but  one  or  two 
sheets,  are  not  only  covered  on  the  exterior,  but  the 
interior  of  the  boards,  and  even  the  joints  are  of 
Levant  morocco.  There  are  many  specimens  of 
binding  executed  in  France  for  gentlemen  of  taste 
and  lovers  of  the  art  in  this  country ;  and,  in  speak- 
ing of  the  productions  of  French  artists,  it  is  to 
these  that  we  refer.  As  a  binder,  Lortic  appears 
to  be  the  least  known ;  but  he  will  probably  become 


32 


INTRODUCTION. 


more  so.  Cape  is  rapidly  growing  into  favour.  Duru 
is  celebrated  for  the  excellence  of  his  forwarding. 
In  this  respect  he  cannot  be  surpassed.  The  full 
morocco  specimens  that  we  have  seen  have  generally 
been  bound  d  laJanseniste,  and  were  truly  exemplars. 
In  exterior  gilding  he  is  not  so  happy  as  some  of  his 
brethren.  Niedre  possesses  fine  taste;  his  styles 
of  finishing  are  varied  and  graceful  in  design,  and 
the  execution  admirable.  The  reputation  of  Trautz 
et  Bauzonnet  has  been  established  principally  by 
the  senior  partner,  Bauzonnet,  Trautz  being  his  son- 
in-law,  and  whose  name  has  recently  been  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  firm,  perhaps  to  anticipate  others  in 
claiming  to  be  the  inheritors  of  the  skill,  and  pupils 
of  his  father-in-law's  school.  Bauzonnet's  bindings 
combine  excellence  in  every  department.  They  are 
specimens  of  the  art  in  its  highest  state,  being  solid, 
firm,  and  square  in  every  portion  of  the  forwarding 
department.  The  covering,  joints,  and  inside  linings 
are  matchless.  The  finishing  may  safely  be  pro- 
nounced perfection,  so  far  as  any  thing  produced 
by  human  agency  can  be.  In  style  of  finishing  he 
generally  confines  himself  to  modifications  of  the 
Grolier,  or  to  a  broad  border,  composed  of  fine 
tools ;  and  in  the  tooling  the  execution  is  faultless. 
Those  who  are  accustomed  to  English  bindings  are 


INTRODUCTION. 


33 


apt  to  find  fault  with  the  firmness  of  his  backs,  as 
they  do  not  throw  out  like  English  loose  backs ;  but 
this  subject  of  loose  backs  is  but  little  understood ; 
for,  when  it  is  known  that  what  is  generally  es- 
teemed an  excellence  is  often  but  an  indication  of 
weakness, — that,  in  order  to  make  the  book  throw 
out  and  lie  open  fiat,  the  substance  by  which  the 
sheets  are  secured  together  is  a  single  strip  of 
paper, — and  that,  where  the  band  upon  which  the 
book  is  sewn  can  be  plainly  seen  upon  the  opening 
of  the  volume,  there  is  a  strain  upon  it,  the  result 
of  which  must  be  its  breakage,  if  in  constant  use, 
(a  catastrophe  that  will  never  happen  to  one  of 
Bauzonnet's  books,) — the  firm  back  will  be  preferred. 
In  tracing  the  progress  of  the  Art,  and  upon  com- 
paring the  merits  of  artists  of  ancient  and  modern 
times,  it  is  to  the  moderns  that  we  assign  the  palm 
of  superiority,  especially  for  Derfection  of  detail  in 
the  ornamentation. 


MANUAL 

OF  THE 

ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


PART  L 
SHEET  WORK. 

As  the  gathering  of  the  sheets  of  a  book,  after 
they  have  been  printed  and  dried  off,  is  nearly 
always  performed  at  the  printer's,  it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  enter  into  any  details  on  that  subject, 
but  to  consider,  as  the  commencement  of  binding, 
the  operation  of 

FOLDING, 

which  is  of  great  importance,  the  beauty  of  a  book 
depending  on  its  being  properly  and  correctly 
folded,  so  that,  when  it  is  cut,  the  margin  of  the 
different  pages  may  be  uniform  throughout,  and 
present  no  transpositions,  to  the  inconvenience  of 
the  reader  and  deterioration  of  the  work. 

The  various  sizes   of  books  are  denominated 

35 


86 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


according  to  the  number  of  leaves  in  which  the 
sheet  is  folded;  as  folio,  quarto,  octavo,  12mo, 
16mo,  18mo,  24mo,  32mo,  &c.  Each  form  pre- 
sents a  certain  number  of  pages,  so  disposed  that, 
when  the  sheet  is  properly  folded,  they  will  follow 
the  numeric  order.  In  commencing  the  folding 
of  any  work,  particular  attention  should  be  paid, 
in  opening  out  the  quires  or  sets,  to  observe  that 
the  signatures  follow  each  other  alphabetically, 
and,  if  consisting  of  two  or  more  volumes,  that  the 
whole  of  the  sheets  belong  to  the  right  one. 

Although  each  form  is  folded  in  a  different  man- 
ner, it  will  not  be  requisite  to  detail  the  whole,  as  a 
description  of  the  octavo  and  twelvemo  will  amply 
furnish  an  idea  of  the  proper  way  of  folding  the 
larger  and  smaller  sizes. 

Octavo. — The  sheets  being  placed  on  the  table 
with  the  signature,  which  will  be  seen  at  the  bottom 
of  the  first  page,  turned  towards  the  table  at  the 
corner  nearest  to  the  left  hand  of  the  workman, 
will  present  pages  2,  15,  14,  3,  below,  and  above, 
with  their  heads  reversed,  pages  7,  10,  11,  6, 
(reading  from  left  to  right.)  The  sheet  is  then 
taken  with  the  left  hand,  by  the  angle  to  the  right, 
and  creased  with  the  folder  in  the  right  hand,  in 
the  direction  of  the  points  made  in  the  printing, 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


37 


taking  care,  by  shading  to  the  light,  that  the  figures 
of  the  pages  fall  exactly  one  on  the  other,  which 
will  be  3  upon  2,  and  6  upon  7,  and  thereby  pre- 
senting uppermost  pages  4  and  13,  and  above  5  and 
12.  The  top  part  of  the  sheet  is  then  brought 
down,  with  the  left  hand,  upon  the  lower,  pages  5 
and  12  falling  upon  4  and  13,  directed  properly, 
and  again  folded.  The  sheet  then  presents  pages 
8  and  9,  which  are  then  folded  evenly,  9  upon  8, 
forming  the  third  fold  and  finishing  the  sheet. 

Twelvemo. — The  signature  to  this  size,  when 
placed  before  the  workman,  should  be  at  the  top, 
on  his  left  hand,  and  towards  the  table,  the  sheet 
presenting  pages  2,  7,  11;  23,  18,  14;  22,  19,  15; 
3,  6,  10.  On  the  right,  pages  11,  14,  15,  10,  are 
separated  from  the  others  by  a  larger  space,  in  the 
middle  of  which  are  the  points,  indicating  the 
proper  place  where  the  pages  should  be  cut  off. 
The  folder  detaches  this  part,  and,  placing  page  11 
upon  10,  makes  a  fold,  and  13  upon  12,  which  will 
be  uppermost,  finishes  the  folding  of  what  is  called 
the  inset,  and  which  bears  the  signature  of  the 
sheet  it  has  been  separated  from,  with  the  addition 
of  a  figure  or  asterisk,  as  A  5  or  A*.  The  remain- 
ing eight  pages  are  folded  in  the  same  way  as  the 

octavo,  and  when  done  the  inset  is  placed  in  the 

4 


38 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


middle  of  it,  taking  care  that  the  head-lines  arrange 
properly. 

Books  are  sometimes  printed  in  what  is  called 
half  sheets,  but  they  are  folded  the  same,  after 
cutting  them  up ;  the  octavo  in  the  direction  of  the 
points,  the  twelvemo  in  oblong  direction  of  the 
paper,  and  laying  them  apart  from  each  other. 
There  are  also  oblong  octavos,  which  are  folded  in 
the  middle  in  a  line  with  the  points,  the  second  fold 
in  the  same  direction  between  the  heads  of  the 
pages,  and  the  third  on  the  length  of  the  paper. 

In  the  first  fold  of  the  octavo  sheet  is  shown  the 
manner  of  folding  the  folio,  and  in  the  second  the 
quarto ;  the  twelvemo  also  presents  us  with  the 
eighteens,  after  the  sheet  is  cut  into  three  divisions. 
Little  or  no  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  folding 
any  other  size  that  may  occur,  attention  to  the  dis- 
position of  the  pages  and  signatures  being  only 
required. 

It  will  often.be  found  necessary  to  refold  a  book 
which,  previous  to  being  bound,  may  have  been 
done  up  in  boards,  sewed,  or  otherwise.  This 
should  in  all  cases  be  carefully  attended  to,  after 
the  book  has  been  taken  to  pieces,  the  back  divested 
of  the  glue  and  thread,  and  the  corners  or  other 
parts  which  may  have  been  doubled  turned  up. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


39 


This  is  usually  done  by  examining  if  the  margin 
at  the  head  and  fore-edge  is  equal  throughout, 
bringing  those  to  their  proper  place  that  are  too 
short,  and  cutting  those  that  are  longer  than  the 
general  margin.  By  these  means  a  uniformity 
will  be  presented  after  the  edges  of  the  book  are 
cut,  which  could  never  be  attained  if  not  attended 
to  while  the  book  is  in  this  state. 

The  sheets  of  the  book,  being  all  folded,  are  then 
laid  out  along  the  edge  of  the  gathering  table,  in 
the  regular  order  of  the  signatures;  the  gatherer 
then  commences  at  the  last  sheet  or  signature, 
takes  one  sheet  from  the  parcel,  one  from  the  next, 
and  so  on  until  the  first  sheet  or  title  is  placed 
upon  the  top  of  the  rest.  The  sheets  are  then  held 
loosely  in  the  hand,  and  allowed  to  fall  lightly  upon 
their  backs  and  heads  upon  a  smooth  board,  until 
they  arrange  themselves  in  an  even,  uniform  man- 
ner.   They  are  then 

COLLATED, 

to  see  that  the  whole  of  the  sheets  belong  to  the 
same  work  and  volume,  as  also  that  none  are  want- 
ing. This  is  done  by  taking  the  book  in  the  right 
hand  by  the  upper  corner  of  the  fore-edge,  and 
with  the  left  opening  the  sheets  on  the  back  and 


40 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


letting  them  fall  successively  one  after  the  other. 
The  signatures  will  be  thus  seen  in  alphabetical  or 
arithmetical  order,  as  A,  B,  c,  &c.,  or  1,  2,  3,  4, 
&c,  to  the  last,  which  should  always  be  examined 
to  ascertain  that  it  is  the  completion  of  the  book. 
By  these  means  any  sheet  incorrectly  folded  is  also 
detected.  Books  in  folio  and  quarto  are  generally 
collated  with  a  needle  or  pricker,  by  raising  the 
sheets  singly  from  the  table ;  but  this  practice 
should  be  resorted  to  as  little  as  possible,  as  the 
work  is  liable  to  be  damaged.  If  any  sheet  is 
wanting,  or  belongs  to  another  volume,  or  is  a  dupli- 
cate, the  further  progress  of  the  work  must  be  sus- 
pended till  the  imperfection  is  procured  or  ex- 
changed. Those  that  have  been  wrong  folded 
must  be  corrected,  and  any  cancels  occurring  in  the 
work  cut  out  and  replaced  by  the  reprints,  which 
will  generally  be  found  in  the  last  sheet  of  the 
book.  It  is  usual  also  with  some  binders  to  place 
any  plates  belonging  to  the  volume,  at  this  period ; 
but  as  the  liability  of  damage  to  them  is  great  in 
the  process  of  heating,  or  rolling,  it  will  be  much 
better  to  perform  that  operation  after  the  book  is 
brought  from  the  stone,  for  which  directions  will  be 
given.  The  book,  being  found  correct,  will  be 
ready  for  the  beating-stone,  which,  although  it  has 


ART   OF  BOOKBINDING. 


41 


been  almost  entirely  superseded  by  the  introduction 
of  machinery,  will  always  be  invaluable  to  a  binder 
of  limited  means;  and  the  amateur  will  find  it  to 
be  an  essential  process  to  secure  the  first  great 
requisite  of  good  binding, — solidity 

BEATING,  PRESSING,  ETC. 

The  first  operation  is  commenced  by  shaking  the 
volume  upon  the  stone  by  the  back  and  head,  so  as 
to  make  the  whole  even  and  facilitate  the  division 
of  it  into  as  many  equal  parts,  which  are  called 
sections  or  beatings,  as  may  be  judged  necessary  ac- 
cording to  the  thickness  and  other  circumstances. 
A  section  is  then  taken  and  well  beaten  over,  draw- 
ing it  with  the  hand  towards  the  body  so  as  to  bring 
the  various  parts  successively  under  the  hammer, 
and  carefully  avoiding  striking  more  blows  in  one 
part  than  the  other,  except  giving  the  edges  a  slight 
extra  tap  round.  The  section  is  then  turned,  and 
the  like  proceeding  gone  through;  as  also  on  each 
side  after  it  has  been  separated  and  the  bottom  part 
placed  on  the  top,  the  middle  of  the  section  being 
thereby  brought  under  the  action  of  the  hammer. 
This  being  done,  the  sheets  are  replaced  in  their 
proper  order,  and  two  or  three  taps  of  the  hammer 
given  to  make  them  lie  even.    In  beating  those 

4* 


42 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


books  with  which,  from  their  value,  greater  care  is 
required,  it  is  usual  to  place  a  guard  or  waste  leaf 
of  paper  on  each  side  of  the  section,  to  avoid  any 
stains  or  marks  which  the  stone  or  hammer  might  be 
liable  to  make. 

It  requires  more  skill  than  actual  strength  in 
beating,  the  weight  of  the  hammer  being  nearly 
sufficient  for  many  works.  Attention  must  be  paid 
to  the  hammer  descending  parallel  to  the  surface  of 
the  stone,  to  avoid  marking  or  cutting  the  sheets 
with  the  edge. 


Before  beating  a  book,  care  should  be  taken  to 
observe  if  it  has  been  recently  printed,  for  if  so  it 
would  set  off  by  being  beaten  too  much.  This  will 
be  easily  ascertained  by  referring  to  the  date  at  the 
foot  of  the  title,  or  by  smelling  the  ink  it  has  been 
printed  with,  which,  being  composed  partly  of  oil, 
will  not  have  got  perfectly  dry.  This  will  particu- 
larly be  the  case  with  machine-printed  works.  As, 
however,  it  is  frequently  necessary  to  bind  a  volume 
immediately  after  being  printed,  it  will  be  requisite 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


43 


to  take  every  precaution  against  its  setting  off,  which 
would  destroy  the  beauty  of  the  work.  It  is  the 
practice  of  some  to  put  the  book  into  an  oven  after 
the  bread  has  been  taken  out,  or  into  a  stove  heated 
sufficiently  to  dry  the  ink  and  make  it  search  into 
the  paper;  but,  as  these  means  are  not  without 
danger  of  getting  the  paper  blackened  or  soiled,  it 
is  a  better  plan  to  interleave  the  sheets  with  white 
paper,  which  will  receive  all  the  ink  set  off.  Should 
the  sheets  have  been  hotpressed,  which  is  readily 
distinguished,  this  precaution  will  not  be  necessary. 

When  employed  at  the  beating-stone,  the  work- 
man should  keep  his  legs  close  together,  to  avoid 
hernia,  to  which  he  is  much  exposed  if,  with  the 
intention  of  being  more  at  ease,  he  contracts  the 
habit  of  placing  them  apart. 

A  rolling-machine  has  been  invented  as  a  substi- 
tute for  the  beating  which  books  require  previous  to 
being  bound.  The  book  is  divided  into  parts,  ac- 
cording to  the  thickness  of  the  book ;  each  part  is 
then  placed  between  tins,  or  pieces  of  sole-leather ; 
the  rollers  are  then  put  in  motion,  and  the  part 
passed  through.  This  is  repeated  until  the  requisite 
degree  of  solidity  is  obtained.  The  great  objections 
to  the  rolling-machine  are  the  liabilities  to  cause  a  set- 
off, or  transfer  of  the  printing-ink,  upon  the  opposite 


44 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


page,  by  the  friction  which  is  produced  by  passing 
between  the  rollers,  and  the  bow-like  appearance 
which  they  give  the  book,  and  which  is  to  the 
forwarder  a  serious  cause  of  annoyance,  and  some- 
times all  his  skill  and  care  are  insufficient  to  remedy 
the  evil  caused  by  the  rollers. 

A  powerful  embossing  press,  technically  called  a 
smasher,  has  lately  been  employed  with  great  ad- 
vantage. A  book  is  placed  between  tins,  the  platen 
is  adjusted  to  a  proper  height,  and  the  large  fly- 
wheels set  in  motion.  The  platen  descends  in  a 
perpendicular  manner;  then,  upon  its  ascending,  by 
means  of  a  small  handle  the  distance  between  the 
platens  is  decreased ;  the  wheels  still  continuing  in 
motion,  the  book,  upon  the  descent  of  the  platen,  is 
compressed  more  forcibly  than  at  first.  The  ope- 
ration is  repeated  until  the  book  has  experienced 
ihe  whole  power  of  the  press.  It  has  been  calcu- 
lated that  by  this  process  a  single  volume  will,  if 
necessary,  undergo  a  pressure  equal  to  a  weight  of 
from  fifty  to  eighty  tons. 

This  process  has  an  advantage  over  every  other 
hitherto  employed  in  which  machinery  has  been  en- 
gaged; and  it  is,  in  some  respects,  preferable  to 
beating,  as  the  book  is  of  the  same  thickness  in 
every  part,  while  in  beating  there  is  a  great  liability 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


45 


to  beat  the  edges  thinner  than  the  centre  ;  and  the 
air  appears  to  be  as  completely  forced  out  as  if  the 
beating-hammer  had  been  used;  and  there  seems 
to  be  no  disposition  in  the  book  to  swell  up  again 
after  undergoing  this  crushing  process. 

In  some  binderies  a  hydraulic  press  is  relied  upon 
for  compressing  the  sheets,  without  their  undergoing 
the  beating  or  rolling  process.  For  publishers'  work 
it  has  been  found  to  answer  the  purpose  for  which 
it  is  employed,  as  the  press  can  be  filled  up  by 
placing  the  books  in  layers  of  from  one  to  four  or 
eight,  according  to  their  size,  between  iron  plates; 
and  the  immense  power  of  the  press  is  thus  evenly 
distributed  through  a  large  quantity  of  sheets  at  the 
same  time. 

The  power  of  compression  is  derived  from  the 
pump  to  the  left  of  the  press,  which  is  supplied 
with  water  from  a  cistern  sunk  under  it.  The 
water  thus  sent,  by  means  of  the  tube  seen  passing 
from  it  to  the  centre  of  the  foot  of  the  press, 
causes  the  cylinder  to  which  the  bed  is  fixed  to 
rise  and  compress  the  books  or  paper  tightly 
between  the  bed  and  head  of  the  press.  When 
it  is  forced  as  high  as  can  be  by  means  of  the 
pump-handle  seen,  a  larger  bar  is  attached  and 
worked  by  two  men.     The  extraordinary  power 


HYDRAULIC  PRESS,  FROM  THE  MANUFACTORY  OF 
ISAAC  ADAMS  &  CO.,  BOSTON. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


47 


of  this  press  is  so  great  as  to  cause,  particularly 
in  common  work,  a  saving  of  more  than  three- 
fourths  of  the  time  required  in  bringing  books  to 
a  proper  solidity  by  the  common  press.  When  it  is 
wished  to  withdraw  the  books,  the  small  cock  at  the 
end  of  the  tube  at  the  foot  of  the  press  is  turned, 
the  water  flows  into  the  cistern  below,  and  the  bed 
with  the  books  glides  gently  down  in  front  of  the 
workman.  Two  presses  are  frequently  worked  by 
the  same  pump,  one  being  on  each  side. 

The  hydraulic  press  is  manufactured  by  nearly 
all  the  press-makers,  differing  only  in  the  general 
design,  the  application  of  power  being  the  same. 

After  beating,  should  there  be  any  plates  to  the 
work,  they,  as  before  stated,  must  now  be  placed 
among  the  text.  Great  care  must  be  taken  to 
make  the  justification  of  the  plates  uniform  with 
the  text,  by  cutting  off  any  superfluity  at  the  head 
or  back,  and  by  placing  them  exactly  facing  the 
pages  to  which  they  refer,  pasting  the  edge  next  to 
the  back.  Any  that  may  be  short  at  the  head 
must  be  brought  down,  to  preserve  a  uniformity. 
It  is  advisable  to  place  a  leaf  of  tissue-paper  before 
each  plate,  particularly  when  newly  printed,  as  the 
ink  of  copper-plates  is  longer  in  drying  than  that 
of  letter-press.     When  a  work  contains  a  great 


48 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


number  of  plates,  which  are  directed  to  be  placed 
at  the  end,  they  are  sewn  on  the  bands  by  over- 
casting, which  operation  will  shortly  be  treated  of 
in  full. 

The  book,  being  now  ready  for  pressing,  is  taken 
in  sections,  according  to  the  work  and  the  judg- 
ment of  the  workman,  and  placed  between  pressing- 
boards  the  size  of  the  volume,  one  on  the  other, 
and  conveyed  to  the  standing-press,  which  is  pulled 
down  as  tight  as  possible  by  the  press-pin,  or  fly- 
wheel, according  to  the  nature  of  the  standing- 
press;  although  it  must  be  premised  that  when  a 
book  has  been  through  the  smasher,  no  further 
pressing  will  be  required  until  it  reaches  the  hands 
of  the  forwarder. 

After  the  book  has  been  sufficiently  pressed,  it 
will  be  necessary  again  to  collate  it,  to  correct  any 
disarrangement  that  may  have  taken  place  during 
the  beating  and  pressing.  It  is  then  ready  for 
being  sawn  out. 

SAWING  THE  BACKS. 

This  operation  is  performed  in  order  to  save  the 
expense  of  sewing  upon  raised  bands,  and  also  to 
prevent  the  bands  on  which  a  book  is  sewn  appear- 
ing on  the  back.    After  beating  the  book  up  well 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


49 


on  the  back  and  head,  it  is  placed  between  two 
cutting-boards,  the  back  projecting  a  little  over  the 
thick  edge,  and  tightly  screwing  in  the  laying  or 
cutting -press,  the  whole  being  elevated  sufficiently 
to  prevent  the  saw  damaging  the  cheeks  of  the  press. 
Then  with  a  tenant-saw  the  proper  number  of 
grooves  are  made,  in  depth  and  width  according  to 
the  diameter  of  the  band  intended  to  be  used,  which 
will  depend  on  the  size  of  the  book.  A  slight  cut 
must  also  be  given  above  the  first  and  under  the  last 
band,  for  lodging  the  chain  or  kettle-stitch.  It  is 
very  necessary  that  the  saw  should  be  held  parallel 
with  the  press,  without  which  precaution,  the  grooves 
being  deeper  on  one  side  than  the  other,  the  work 
will  present,  when  opened,  a  defect  to  the  eye. 

The  end-papers,  which  should  consist  of  four 
leaves  of  blank  paper,  folded  according  to  the  size 
of  the  book,  are  now  prepared,  and  one  placed  at 
the  beginning  and  end  of  each  volume. 

SEWING. 

^  According  to  the  number  of  bands  wanted,  must 
be  attached  to  the  loops  on  the  cross-bar  of  the 
sewing-press  as  many  pieces  of  cord,  of  proper 
length  and  thickness,  and  fastened  with  the  aid  of 

the  keys  in  the  groove  of  the  press  as  nearly  equal 

5 


50 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


in  tightness  as  possible.  When  this  is  done,  the 
back  of  the  first  sheet  in  the  book  is  placed  against 
the  cords,  which  must  be  moved  upwards  or  the 
contrary  to  the  marks  of  the  saw,  when  the  small 
screws  at  each  end  under  the  cross-bar  must  be 
moved  upwards  till  the  strings  are  equally  tight. 
All  this  being  disposed,  the  book  is  commenced  sew- 
ing by  placing  the  end-paper,  which  has  no  marks 
of  the  saw,  on  the  sheet  before  laid  down,  and  sew- 
ing it  throughout,  leaving  a  small  end  of  thread  to 
form  the  knot,  after  sewing  the  first  sheet,  which  is 
then  taken  from  under  and  sewn  the  whole  length. 

There  are  various  ways  of  sewing,  according  to 
the  size  and  thickness  of  the  sheets  of  a  book.  A 
volume  consisting  of  thick  sheets,  or  a  sheet  con- 
taining a  plate  or  map,  should  be  sewn  singly  the 
whole  length,  in  order  to  make  the  work  more 
secure  and  solid.  Great  care  should  also  be  taken 
not  to  draw  the  thread  too  tight  at  the  head  or  foot 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


51 


of  the  book.  The  thread,  in  order  to  keep  the  book 
of  the  same  thickness  at  the  ends  and  centre, 
should  be  drawn  parallel  with  the  bench,  and  not 
downwards,  as  is  too  frequently  the  case.  Upon  the 
proper  swelling  of  the  back  mainly  depends  the 
regularity  of  the  round  and  firmness  of  the  back 
in  the  after-stages  of  the  binding. 

When  a  book  is  sewed  two  sheets  on,  three  bands 
are  generally  used.  Taking  the  sheet  and  fixing  it 
on  the  bands,  the  needle  is  inserted  in  the  mark 
made  for  the  kettle-stitch  and  brought  out  by  the 
first  band;  another  sheet  is  then  placed,  and  the 
needle  introduced  on  the  other  side  of  the  band, 
thus  bringing  the  thread  round  it,  sewn  in  like 
manner  to  the  middle  band,  and  continued  to  the 
third,  when,  taking  again  the  first  sheet,  it  is  sewn 
from  the  third  band  to  the  other  kettle-stitch,  where 
it  is  fastened,  and  another  course  of  two  sheets 
commenced,  and  so  continued  to  the  last  sheet  but 
one,  which  is  sewn  the  whole  length,  as  directed  for 
the  first  sheet,  as  also  the  end-paper.  Three  bands 
are  preferable  to  two,  the  book  being  more  firm 
from  being  fastened  in  the  middle,  which  is  the  only 
difference  in  sewing  on  two  and  three  bands. 

Half-sheets,  to  obviate  the  swelling  of  the  back 
too  much,  are  usually  sewn  on  four  bands,  which 


52 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


admit  of  three^  on  a  course :  the  first  sheet  is  sewn 
as  in  three  bands,  from  the  kettle-stitch  to  the  first 
band,  the  next  to  the  second,  and  the  third  takes 
the  middle  space  ;  then  the  second  sheet  again  from 
the  third  to  the  fourth  band,  and  the  first  from 
thence  to  the  other  kettle-stitch.  The  third  sheet 
having  only  one  stitch,  it  is  necessary  that,  in  saw- 
ing, the  distance  from  the  second  to  the  third  band 
should  be  left  considerably  longer  than  between  the 
others.  Quartos  are  generally  sewn  on  five  bands 
to  make  the  work  firmer,  but  if  in  half-sheets,  as  in 
the  folio  size,  six  or  more  are  used,  sewing  as  many 
sheets  on  as  bands,  giving  each  sheet  but  one  tack 
or  sewing,  and  piercing  the  needle  through  the 
whole  of  the  course  at  each  end  or  kettle-stitch 
before  fastening  the  thread.  This,  which  gives 
sufficient  firmness,  is  necessary  to  prevent  the  swell- 
ing of  the  back  which  a  less  number  of  sheets  in  a 
course  would  make  and  spoil  the  appearance  of  the 
binding. 

When  the  book  is  composed  of  single  leaves, 
plates,  or  maps,  or,  as  in  the  case  of  music,  wThere, 
from  the  decayed  state  of  the  back,  it  is  necessary 
to  cut  off  a  portion  with  the  plough  in  the  manner 
pointed  out  for  cutting  edges,  the  whole  must  be 
attached  to  the  bands  by  what  is  called  whipping  or 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


53 


overcasting.  This  is  by  taking  a  section,  according 
to  the  thickness  of  the  paper,  and  forcing  the  needle 
through  the  whole  at  the  kettle-stitch,  and  on  each 
side  of  all  the  bands,  at  a  distance  sufficient  to 
secure  the  stitches  from  tearing,  bringing  the 
thread  round  each  band,  as  before  directed,  and 
fastening  it  at  the  end  before  proceeding  with 
another  course.  To  keep  the  whole  of  the  sheets 
properly  even,  the  back  is  sometimes  glued  im- 
mediately after  cutting,  and  when  dry  divided  into 
sections.  Atlases  and  books  of  prints,  when  folded 
in  the  middle,  will  require  a  guard,  or  slip  of  paper, 
to  be  pasted  to  them,  so  as  to  allow  them  to  open 
flat,  which  they  could  not  do  if  attached  to  the 
back,  and  which  would  destroy  the  engraving. 
These  guards  must  be  of  strong  paper  about  an 
inch  in  breadth  and  folded  to  the  right  size. 
They  are  sewn  by  overcasting,  as  above  directed. 

A  better  method  for  books  of  plates,  or  single 
leaves,  is,  after  cutting  the  back  evenly  with  the 
plough,  to  lay  it  between  boards  and  glue  the  back 
evenly  over  with  thin  glue.  After  it  has  become 
dry  and  hard,  separate  it  into  thin  sections ;  then  let 
it  be  sawn  out  in  the  usual  manner ;  it  should  then 
be  taken  and  whipped,  or  overcast  in  separate 
sections  with  fine   thread,  care   being  taken  in 

5* 


54 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


■whipping  the  sections  that  it  be  evenly  and  neatly- 
done.  After  the  sections  are  all  whipped,  they 
should  be  sewn  or  affixed  to  the  bands  in  the  same 
manner  as  folded  sheets. 

The  old  mode  of  sewing  on  raised  bands  com- 
bines many  advantages.  This  style  is  still  adopted 
with  many  works,  particularly  with  those  having 
a  small  margin;  in  fact,  it  is,  both  for  elasticity 
and  durability,  far  superior  to  any  mode  that 
is  practised;  it  is,  however,  a  very  slow  pro- 
cess, and  necessarily  an  expensive  one ;  and  many 
binders  who  pretend  to  bind  in  this  manner,  to 
obviate  this,  have  their  books  sewed  in  the  ordi- 
nary way,  and  then,  by  sticking  false  bands  upon 
the  back,  give  them  the  appearance  of  having  been 
sewn  on  raised  bands.  If  ifc  is  intended  to  sew 
a  book  purely  flexible,  it  should  be  knocked  up  even 
and  square,  placed  between  two  pieces  of  paste- 
board, and  placed  in  a  laying-press;  then  draw  a. 
line  across  the  back,  near  the  head,  where  it  will  be 
cut  by  the  forwarder  in  cutting  the  edges.  Next 
take  a  pair  of  compasses  and  divide  the  back 
lengthwise  into  six  even  portions,  except  the  bottom 
or  tail,  which  should  be  longer  than  the  rest,  in 
order  to  preserve  a  proper  symmetry  of  appear- 
ance ;  then  draw  lines  square  across  the  back  with 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


55 


a  black  lead-pencil  from  the  compass-points  of  the 
five  inner  divisions,  for  the  places  upon  which  the 
bands  are  to  be  sewed;  then  make  a  slight  scratch 
with  a  saw  about  one-quarter  of  an  inch  inside  of 
where  the  book  will  be  cut,  for  the  kettle-stitch  at 
the  head  and  likewise  at  the  tail.  Upon  taking  the 
book  out  of  the  laying-press,  take  the  pasteboards 
and  saw  them  at  the  points  marked  by  the  lead- 
pencil  of  a  depth  sufficient  to  allow  the  cords  upon 
which  the  book  is  to  be  sewn  to  enter.  ,  The  boards 
will  then  serve  as  a  guide  to  set  the  bands  of  the 
sewing-press  at  the  commencement  of  the  operation, 
and  afterwards,  during  the  progress  of  the  work, 
will  be  found  useful  to  regulate  any  deviations  that 
may  be  inadvertently  taking  place.  After  the 
sewing-press  is  properly  regulated  and  the  end- 
paper sewn  as  previously  described,  the  sheets 
should  then  be  taken,  one  at  a  time,  in  their 
regular  order,  and  sewn  all  along,  from  one  end 
of  the  sheet  to  the  other,  or,  more  properly,  from 
one  kettle-stitch  to  the  other,  taking  especial  pains 
to  observe  that  in  sewing  each  sheet,  after  the 
first  kettle-stitch  has  been  caught,  the  needle  must 
be  passed  to  the  farthest  side  of  the  nearest  band, 
then  passed  to  the  other  side  of  the  band,  and  so 
on  for  each  successive  band.  -  By  this  means  the 


56 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


thread  will  have  passed  completely  round  each 
band,  upon  which  the  sheet  will  revolve  as  upon 
a  hinge,  without  the  slightest  strain  upon  either  the 
band  or  the  thread.  The  inner  margin  is  thus 
preserved  its  full  size,  and  the  freedom  of  the 
volume  much  increased. 

If  you  desire  to  revel  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  a 
flexible  back,  have  it  sewn  with  silk  upon  silken 
bands  or  cords,  and  you  will  have  a  combination  of 
elasticity  and  strength  that  cannot  be  surpassed. 

For  large  volumes  of  engravings,  the  best  mode 
of  binding,  so  as  to  secure  strength  and  also  to 
allow  the  plates  to  lie  flat  when  the  volume  is  open, 
is  to  mount  the  plates  with  linen  upon  guards.  To 
do  this  properly,  select  paper  of  the  same  thickness 
as  the  plates,  cut  it  in  strips  an  inch  or  an  inch  and 
a  half  wide,  paste  the  back  edge  of  the  plate  about 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  depth,  from  top  to  bottom ; 
then  lay  a  strip  of  thin  linen  or  paper-muslin  along 
the  pasted  edge  of  the  plate,  and  rub  it  so  that  it 
will  adhere.  The  strips  of  linen  must  be  sufBciently 
wide  to  project  beyond  the  plate  as  far  as  the  width 
of  the  paper  guards.  One  of  the  latter  is  then  to 
be  evenly  pasted  over  and  laid  upon  the  projecting 
strip  of  linen,  carefully  smoothed,  and  laid  between 
pasteboards  to  dry  after  they  are  thus  mounted. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


57 


The  plates  are  then  whipped  along  the  back  edge 
of  the  guard,  and  sewed  in  the  usual  manner. 

It  was  proposed  by  M.  Lesne,  bookbinder  of  Paris, 
in  a  Memoir  presented  by  him  to  the  "  Societe  $  En- 
couragement "  January  18,  1818,  that  in  order  to 
give  to  books  the  three  essential  qualities  of  bind- 
ing, elasticity,  solidity,  and  elegance,  they  should 
be  sewn  similar  to  the  Dutch  method,  which  is  on 
slips  of  parchment,  instead  of  packthread;  but  to 
remedy  the  inconvenience  arising  from  one  slip 
being  insufficient  to  make  the  back  of  a  proper 
solidity,  as  well  as  being  liable  to  break,  and,  if 
doubled  or  trebled,  presenting  a  bad  effect  on  the 
back  when  covered,  he  suggested  the  adoption  of 
silk  for  the  bands,  which  in  a  much  less  diameter  is 
far  stronger  than  packthread  double  the  thickness. 
It  is  also  preferable  for  sheets  that  require  sewing 
the  whole  length  to  use  silk,  this  being  much 
stronger  than  thread,  and  insuring  a  greater  so- 
lidity to  the  work.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
cuts  of  the  saw,  apparent  in  other  bindings,  are  not 
seen  in  opening  the  volume.  "When  the  volume  is 
entirely  sewn,  the  screws  are  loosened,  the  cords 
detached  from  the  keys,  and  about  two  inches  of 
the  cord  left  on  each  side  of  the  book  to  attach  the 
boards  that  are  to  form  the  sides. 


58 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


INDIA-RUBBER  BACKS. 

In  those  instances  where  the  leaves  of  a  book  are 
held  together  by  caoutchouc  cement  instead  of  by- 
sewing,  the  sheets  are  cut  up  into  separate  leaves, 
and  every  leaf  made  true  and  square  at  the  edges. 
The  back  edge  is  then  brought  to  a  rounded  form, 
by  allowing  the  sheets  to  arrange  themselves  in  a 
grooved  recess  or  mould;  and  in  that  state  the 
leaves  are  all  moistened  at  the  back  edges  with  a 
cement  of  liquid  caoutchouc  or  India-rubber.  The 
quantity  so  applied  is  very  small.  In  a  few  hours, 
it  is  sufficiently  dry  to  take  another  coat  of  a  some- 
what stronger  caoutchouc  solution.  In  forty-eight 
hours,  four  applications  of  the  caoutchouc  may  be 
made  and  dried.  The  back  and  the  adjoining  part 
of  the  sides  are  next  covered  with  the  usual  band 
or  fillet  of  cloth  glued  on  with  caoutchouc;  after 
which  the  book  is  ready  to  have  the  boards  attached, 
and  to  be  covered  with  leather  or  parchment,  as 
may  be  desired. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


59 


PART  II. 

FORWARDING. 

This  branch  of  the  art  may  be  divided  into 
several  parts.  We  will  give  precedence  to  that 
branch  or  class  of  forwarding  that  requires  the 
utmost  precision  and  opens  to  the  ambitious  for- 
warder a  field  of  exertion  worthy  of  his  best  efforts. 
Let  the  workman  who  strives  to  excel  in  his  art 
remember  that  his  work  goes  through  the  hands  of 
critics  and  judges;  that  it  possibly  may  be  com- 
pared with  the  productions  of  the  most  celebrated 
artists.  Let  him,  then,  look  well  to  his  laurels  if 
engaged  upon  first-class  job  or 

CUSTOMER  WORK. 

The  book  being  taken  from  the  sewing-press,  the 
end-papers  and  the  first  sheet  are  then  turned  back. 
A  strip  of  paper  is  placed  about  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  from  the  back,  so  as  to  prevent  the  paste  from 
spreading  unevenly,  and  paste  is  then  applied  with 
the  finger  along  the  edge  of  the  sheet.  The  sheet 
is  turned  over,  and  the  same  process  repeated  to  the 
first  and  secoiad  leaves  of  the  end-papers,  if  the 


60 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


book  is  to  be  lined  with  buff  or  brown  paper. 
After  the  papers  have  been  cut  to  the  proper  size 
and  evenly  folded,  they  are  pasted  along  the  folded 
edge  in  the  same  manner  as  the  end-papers  were. 
The  first  leaf  of  the  end-paper  is  then  turned  over, 
and  the  lining-paper  laid  full  up  to  the  back-edge 
of  the  book.  If  this  be  done  carelessly,  or  not  en- 
tirely straight  and  square  from  end  to  end,  the 
future  appearance  of  the  book  will  be  considerably 
marred.  As  much  of  the  beauty  of  the  joint 
depends  upon  the  manner  in  which  the  lining  has 
been  performed,  if  it  is  intended  to  line  with  marbled 
paper,  after  turning  over  the  end-leaf,  place  the 
lining  as  near  as  possible  to  the  back-edge,  so  as  to 
expose  to  the  action  of  the  brush  almost  the  entire 
leaf  of  the  end-paper  that  lies  on  the  book.  Paste 
this  lightly  over;  then  place  the  lining  upon  it,  and 
rub  it  even  and  smooth  with  the.  hand.  In  either 
case  it  should  be  left  to  dry  before  the  end-paper  is 
folded  down  to  its  place,  as  it  is  liable  to  force  the 
lining-paper  from  the  back.  A  better  method  is  to 
paste  the  marble-paper  upon  the  white  end-paper 
before  it  is  inserted  in  the  book.  The  papers  may 
then  be  lightly  pressed,  to  make  them  perfectly 
smooth,  and  hung  upon  lines  to  dry.  By  this  process 
there  is  no  fear  of  the  book  being  wrinkled  by  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


61 


dampness  from  the  lining-paper.  Attention  should 
be  paid  that  such  papers  only  as  will  blend  well  with 
the  colour  of  the  leather  intended  for  the  cover  are 
used. 

If  a  joint  of  calf  or  morocco  is  required,  all  that 
is  necessary  for  the  forwarder  to  do  is  to  tip  the 
back-edge  of  the  lining  that  goes  next  to  the  book 
very  slightly,  merely  to  secure  it  until  it  reaches 
the  finisher,  and  place  one  or  two  guards  of  stout 
paper  along  the  joint,  to  be  afterwards  torn  out  by 
the  finisher. 

These  matters  being  adjusted,  the  end-paper 
turned  back  to  its  place,  and  the  twine  on  which  the 
book  has  been  sewn  pulled  tight,  care  having  been 
taken  to  avoid  pressing  the  twine  against  the  end- 
papers, on  account  of  their  liability  to  tear  near  the 
bands,  the  bands  which  are  intended  to  be  laced  in 
the  boards  must  be  opened,  or  the  strands  separated 
with  a  bodkin  and  scraped  with  a  dull  knife  so  as 
to  bring  them  to  a  point  and  make  them  more  con- 
venient to  pass  through  the  boards  which  are  to 
form  the  side  covers. 

The  book  is  now  taken  between  the  hands  and 
well  beaten  up  at  the  back  and  head  on  a  smooth 
board,  or  on  the  laying-press,  to  bring  the  sheets 
level  and  square,  as  the  beauty  of  the  book,  in  all 


62 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  subsequent  operations,  depends  much  on  the 
care  and  attention  paid  in  this  place.  The  volume 
is  then  laid  carefully  upon  a  board,  with  the  back  to 
the  edge  of  the  board,  a  strip  of  pasteboard  is  laid 
on  the  upper  side,  the  book  placed  in  the  laying- 
press,  and  the  back  evenly  glued.  The  glue  should 
be  well  rubbed  in  between  the  sheets,  taking  care 
that  the  sheets  are  even  on  the  back  and  the 
volume  equal  in  thickness  throughout  the  whole 
length.  It  is  then  laid  on  a  board  to  dry,  but  must 
not  be  placed  before  the  fire,  as,  by  so  doing,  the 
glue  becomes  hard  and  liable  to  crack  in  the 
process  of 

ROUNDING. 

In  commencing  this  operation,  the  book  is  placed 
upon  the  laying- press  with  the  fore-edge  towards 
the  workman ;  the  left  hand  should  then  be  placed 
flat  and  open  upon  it,  the  thumb  towards  the  fore- 
edge.  With  the  four  fingers  the  volume  is  slightly 
bent  and  the  upper  portion  of  the  back  drawn 
towards  the  workman.  The  right  hand  is  then  en- 
gaged with  a  backing-hammer  in  lightly  tapping  the 
sheets  wTith  an  upward  motion  from  the  centre  of 
the  back.  The  volume  is  then  turned  upon  the 
other  side,  and  the  operation  is  repeated  until  it  is 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  63 

evident  that  the  book  has  acquired  a  sufficient 
round.  The  left  hand  is  held  to  the  back  while  the 
round  is  pressed  into  the  fore-edge  with  the  fingers 
of  the  right.  The  volume  is  then  held  up  and  the 
back  carefully  examined  to  ascertain  if  the  round  is 
perfectly  regular,  and,  if  not,  it  must  be  again  sub- 
mitted to  light  blows  of  the  hammer  until  the  back 
describes  a  portion  of  a  perfect  circle.  Care  should 
be  taken  that  the  round  be  not  too  flat  for  the 
thickness  of  the  volume,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
it  does  not  become  what  is  called  a  pig-back, — a 
horrible  monstrosity  in  binding,  having  a  sharp 
ridge  in  the  centre  of  the  back.  If  the  round  be 
not  regular  and  even  from  the  centre  to  the  edges, 
as  well  as  from  head  to  tail,  and  entirely  free  from 
twist,  no  after-skill  or  care  can  overcome  the  evil, 
but  it  will  ever  remain  to  prove  the  want  of  care  or 
the  incapacity  of  the  workman.  The  next  process, 
and  equally  important,  is  that  of 

BACKING, 

which  is  done  to  form  the  groove  for  the  reception  of 
the  boards.  One  of  the  backing-boards  is  placed  upon 
the  volume  at  an  equal  distance  from  the  back,  the 
distance  depending  upon  the  thickness  of  the  board ; 
then,  turning  the  volume,  the  other  is  placed  in  a 


64  MANUAL  OF  THE 

* 

similar  manner ;  the  boards  are  then  firmly  grasped 
by  the  left  hand  across  the  back,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  right  hand,  the  whole  carefully 
put  into  the  laying-press,  the  edge  of  the  boards 
nearest  the  back  of  the  volume  even  with  the 
cheeks  of  the  press,  and  screwed  up  with  the  press- 
pin  as  tight  as  possible.  The  backing-hammer  is 
then  taken  in  the  right  hand  and  employed  in  turn- 
ing the  sheets  from  the  centre  over  the  backing- 
boards,  to  form  the  necessary  groove.  For  this 
purpose  the  first  blows  should  commence  near  the 
centre  of  the  volume,  and  should  be  as  light  as  pos- 
sible, the  blows  glancing  towards  the  edge,  so  as  to 
merely  commence  the  turning  of  the  sheets,  without 
causing  any  indentations  or  wrinkles  on  the  inside 
of  the  volume.  This  should  be  proceeded  with 
lengthwise  of  the  volume,  each  series  of  blows 
growing  gradually  nearer  to  the  edge  or  backing- 
board,  and,  as  they  approach,  becoming  more  firm, 
until  the  sheets  are  turned  over  the  backing-board, 
so  as  to  form  a  regular  and  solid  groove.  The  pro- 
cess is  repeated  up  the  other  side,  the  volume  exa- 
mined to  see  if  the  back  is  regular  and  equal  in  its 
circle  throughout,  and  any  slight  irregularities  cor- 
rected by  light  taps  of  the  beating-hammer;  but 
nothing  can  justify  a  workman  in  striking  a  heavy 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  65 
$ 

blow  near  the  centre  of  the  back,  as  it  must  inevi- 
tably crush  and  wrinkle  the  paper  on  the  inside. 
It  serves  but  to  prove  his  ignorance  of  the  principle 
upon  which  the  entire  operation  is  based.  There  is 
nothing  connected  with  the  forwarding  of  a  book 
that  requires  more  attention,  patience,  and  skill, 
than  the  rounding  and  backing,  and  there  is  nothing 
that  contributes  more  to  the  general  appearance  of 
the  volume.  If  well  done,  it  gives  a  character  and 
a  tone  to  all  the  subsequent  operations ;  if  done 
badly,  no  care  or  skill  that  may  be  afterwards  em- 
ployed can  hide  it.  It  remains  an  enduring  mark 
of  a  careless  or  inefficient  workman.  The  volume 
is  now  ready  for  the  boards,  which  have  been  pre- 
viously prepared.  This  is  done  by  cutting  the 
sheets  of  milled-boards  according  to  the  size  of  the 
book,  with  the  table  or  patent-shears.  One  side  of 
the  board  is  then  lined  with  paper,  the  shrinkage 
of  which  will  cause  the  board  to  curl  towards  it. 
If  the  volume  be  large,  or  a  thick  board  be  required, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  paste  two  or  more  thick- 
nesses of  board  together.  Place  them  in  the  stand- 
ing-press, under  pressure,  until  dry ;  then  take 
them  out  and  line  them  on  the  side  of  the  board 
that  has  been  pasted,  or,  if  one  board  be  thinner 
than  the  other,  upon  the  thin  board,  in  the  same 

6* 


66 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


manner  as  the  single  board.  Boards  made  in  this 
manner  should  always  be  prepared  some  length  of 
time  before  they  are  used.  The  boards  being  in 
readiness,  the  volume  is  taken  and  one  point  of  the 
compasses  placed  at  the  centre  of  the  back,  and  the 
other  point  extended  towards  the  fore-edge  until  it 
reaches  the  edge  of  the  smallest  bolt.  This  will 
give  the  proper  size  to  cut  the  boards,  as  the  groove 
or  joint  will  give  the  projection  or  square  of  the 
board.  If  the  volume  be  rare  and  valuable,  let  the 
workman  be  merciful  in  the  use  of  his  steel,  as  the 
cropping  of  ignorant  workmen  has  impaired  the 
value  of  many  a  choice  tome.  If  it  be  intended 
that  the  leaves  are  to  remain  uncut,  previous  to  the 
rounding  of  the  volume,  take  a  large  butcher's-knife 
and  carefully  trim  the  extreme  ends  of  the  projecting 
leaves.  After  the  size  has  been  obtained,  the  next 
operation  is 

SQUARING  THE  BOARDS. 

This  is  done  by  cutting  the  back-edge  of  the 
boards  with  a  plough  in  the  laying-press ;  the  boards 
are  then  marked  with  the  compasses  from  the  edge 
which  has  been  squared  towards  the  front ;  the  front 
cutting-board  is  placed  at  the  compass-holes,  and 
again  put  in  press,  with  the  front  cutting-board  or 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


67 


runner  level  with  the  cheek  of  the  press,  the  back- 
board being  a  little  higher,  so  as  to  allow  the  plough- 
knife  to  cut  against  it.  The  rough  part  is  cut  off  with 
the  plough  as  hereafter  described,  with  this  differ- 
ence:— that,  in  cutting  pasteboards,  the  workman 
cuts  towards  him.  The  boards  are  then  taken  out 
of  press,  and  the  square  applied  to  the  head,  and 
marked  with  the  point  of  a  bodkin ;  this  is  cut  off 
in  the  same  manner.  The  volume  is  then  opened 
and  examined  for  the  purpose  of  finding  a  leaf  of  an 
average  length,  which  is  measured  by  placing  the 
thumb  of  the  left  hand  against  the  edge  of  the  head 
and  applying  against  it  one  of  the  points  of  the 
compasses,  carrying  the  other  so  much  over  the  end 
of  the  leaf  as  will  allow  for  the  square  of  the  boards 
at  the  tail ;  and  if  the  volume  be  large  for  a  portion 
of  the  square  at  the  head,  the  superfluous  portion 
is  then  cut  off  with  the  plough.  In  taking  the 
size,  let  the  workman  recognise  as  a  rule  that  every 
book  should  be  cut  as  large  as  possible,  lest  he  be 
suspected  of  having  an  eye  more  to  the  shaving-tub 
than  to  his  reputation  as  a  binder.  Among  the 
early  binders,  De  Rome  is  noted  for  his  merciless 
cropping.  But  few  volumes  have  preserved  the  in- 
tegrity of  their  margins  after  having  been  submitted 
to  the  cruel  operation  of  his  steel.    A  volume  cut 


68 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


to  the  print  is  said  to  bleed ;  therefore  be  careful  to 
avoid  the  slightest  approach  towards  the  commission 
of  such  an  act  of  Vandalism.  The  boards  having 
been  squared  for  the  back,  front,  head,  and  tail, 
they  are  placed,  with  the  lined  side  of  the  board 
next  to  the  book,  preparatory  to  the 

LACING  IN. 

Each  board  is  then  marked  with  a  bodkin  opposite 
to  the  slips  intended  to  be  laced  in ;  a  hole  in  a 
vertical  position  is  then  made  through  the  board, 
and  being  turned,  another  in  the  same  way  near  to 
the  first.  The  bands,  having  been  pasted  and  passed 
in  above,  are  returned  through  the  other  hole,  and, 
being  pulled  tight,  the  boards  will  necessarily  be 
perpendicular  to  the  back,  and  confined  in  the 
groove.  After  cutting  off  the  end  of  the  strings 
near  to  the  lace-holes,  they  must  be  beaten  well 
and  evenly  into  the  board  by  placing  the  under 
part  on  an  iron  (called  the  knocking -down  iron) 
fixed  at  the  end  of  the  laying-press,  and  beating 
above  with  the  backing-hammer. 

If  it  be  desirable  that  the  bands  should  not  be 
seen  inside,  the  hole  may  be  made  so  vertical  that, 
by  placing  the  bodkin  in  the  same  on  the  other  side, 
another  verging  a  contrary  way  to  the  first  may  be 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


69 


made,  and  the  band,  being  passed  in  this  one  con- 
tinued hole,  will  not  be  seen  underneath.  The 
liability,  however,  of  its  tearing  out  is  an  objection, 
and  from  this  cause  the  common  wav,  with  care  in 
beating  down,  is  preferable. 

After  the  slips  have  been  well  beaten  down,  the 
roundness  of  the  back  must  be  examined,  and  any 
twist  that  is  perceptible  corrected  with  the  backing- 
hammer.  A  piece  of  smooth  tin,  larger  than  the 
volume,  must  then  be  inserted  between  each  board 
and  the  book,  with  one  edge  of  the  tin  full  up  to 
the  joint.  The  volume  is  next  placed  between  press- 
ing-boards even  with  the  joint,  and  put  into  the 
standing-press,  which  must  be  screwed  tight  and 
evenly  down.  Stewart's  double-screw  iron  standing- 
press  is  well  adapted  for  the  purpose,  and  is  in  very 
general  use.  After  the  press  has  been  screwed 
down,  the  back  of  the  volume  is  then  damped  with 
thin  paste,  and,  according  to  the  firmness  of  the 
sewing  and  book,  grated  and  scraped,  and  finally 
rubbed  smooth  with  paper-shavings,  and  left  to  dry 
in  the  press  for  as  long  a  time  as  possible.  If  a 
large  volume,  it  is  usual  to  apply  a  little  glue  to  the 
back.  When  taken  out  of  the  press,  the  boards 
must  be  disengaged  from  the  end-papers,  where  they 


70 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


adhere,  so  that  they  may  move  freely  up  and  down 
in  the  cutting. 


The  manner  of  preparing  the  volume  for  cutting 
is  very  important,  as  swerving  from  right  angles  in 
cutting  the  head  and  tail  will  present  a  disagreeable 
appearance.  Every  precaution  must  be  taken  to 
insure  the  volume  being  cut  perfectly  square.  The 
front-board  is  drawn  down  from  the  head  just  suffi- 
cient for  the  knife  to  operate  upon  in  the  cutting.  A 
piece  of  trindle  is  inserted  between  the  volume  and 
the  back-board  for  the  point  of  the  knife  to  cut 
against.  The  volume  is  then  placed,  with  the  back 
towards  the  workman,  on  a  cutting-board  in  the  left 
hand;  the  runner  or  smooth-edged  board  is  then 
fixed  on  the  other  side,  with  the  right  hand,  even 


and  square  with  the  edge  of  the  mill-board,  and  the 
whole,  held  tight  with  the  left  hand,  put  into  the 


CUTTING  THE  EDGES. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


71 


cutting-press,  to  the  level  of  the  right-hand  cheek 
of  the  same,  taking  care  that  the  volume  hangs  per- 
pendicular to  the  cheeks  of  the  press.  Being 
screwed  tight  with  the  pin,  the  workman  then  takes 
the  plough  with  the  right  hand,  by  the  head  of  the 
screw,  and,  placing  it  on  the  groove  of  the  press, 
proceeds  to  cut  the  book,  holding  the  other  end  of 
the  screw  firmly  with  the  left  hand,  and  causing  the 
knife  to  advance  gradually  through  the  book  by 
turning  the  screw  gently  as  he  cuts,  which  should 
be  all  one  way, — viz. :  as  the  arms  are  removed  from 
the  body.  The  plough  must  be  held  firm  in  the 
groove  or  guides  of  the  press,  to  prevent  the  knife 
jumping  or  cutting  the  edges  uneven ;  and,  should  the 
knife  be  found  to  run  up  or  down,  the  defect  must 
be  remedied  by  removing  some  of  the  paper  or 
boards  placed  under  the  knife  where  it  is  fastened 
to  the  plough.  If  there  should  be  none  required  to 
bring  the  knife  even  with  the  plough,  then  a  piece 
must  be  placed  on  whichever  side  of  the  bolt  the 
defect  may  require.  The  head  being  cut,  the  same 
operation  is  repeated  for  the  tail. 

Much  precaution  is  necessary  in  cutting  the  fore- 
edge.  Mark  the  book  with  a  bodkin  on  the  project- 
ing part  of  the  end-papers,  and  on  each  side,  at  the 
head  and  foot,  close  to  the  square  side  of  the  boards, 


72 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


drawing  a  line  from  one  to  the  other ;  then,  laying 
the  boards  open,  insert  a  trindle  at  each  end  of 
the  volume,  under  the  back,  so  as  to  throw  the 
round  out;  then  wind  a  piece  of  fine  cord  several 
times  round  from  the  head  to  the  tail,  to  prevent 
the  leaves  returning  after  the  back  is  made  flat,  to 
form  the  gutter  on  the  fore-edge.  This  done,  beat 
the  back  flat  on  the  press,  and  place  one  of  the  cut- 
ting-boards at  the  end  of  the  book,  even  with  the 
line  before  made ;  turn  it,  and  place  the  runner  as 
much  below  the  line  on  the  title-side  as  has  been 
allowed  for  the  square  on  the  fore-edge.  Taking 
the  whole  in  the  left  hand,  the  volume  must  be  ex- 
amined to  remedy  any  defects,  should  it  not  be 
regular  and  equal  on  both  sides,  and  then  put  into 
the  press,  the  runner  as  before  even  with  the  right 
cheek,  taking  care  to  keep  the  other  board  pro- 
jected above  the  left,  equal  to  the  square  allowed 
in  front,  so  that,  wThen  cut  through,  the  fore-edge 
may  be  equally  square  with  the  boards  on  each  side. 
After  the  fore-edge  is  cut,  the  string  is  taken  off, 
the  back  resumes  its  circular  form,  and  the  edge  in 
consequence  presents  a  grooved  appearance,  which 
puzzles  the  uninitiated  to  ascertain  how  it  is  pro- 
duced. The  method  above  described  is  called 
"cutting  in  boards,"  and  is  superior  to  any  other. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


73 


It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  young  work- 
man  that  he  should  pursue  and  acquire  a  methodical 
system  in  all  his  operations.  Select  the  best  method, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  and  then  adhere  to  it.  Do  not, 
every  time  you  perform  one  particular  process,  do  it 
in  a  different  manner.  For  instance  :  in  backing  or 
in  turning  up  your  books,  it  is  better  to  always  have 
the  head  towards  you ;  in  cutting  head  and  tail,  to 
have  the  back  nearest  you.  In  laying  your  work 
down,  always  do  it  in  one  way.  Let  that  way  be 
the  one  whereby  you  can  most  conveniently  take  it 
up  again.  Much  time  may  be  wasted,  from  inatten- 
tion to  these  particulars,  in  the  unnecessary  hand- 
ling and  confused  manner  of  working.  It  will  be 
found  that  the  best  and  most  expeditious  workmen 
are  those  who  do  their  work  in  a  systematical  man- 
ner. In  taking  leave  of  this  department,  our  part- 
ing admonition  to  the  young  workman  is,  strive  to 
excel.  Do  not  be  content  if  your  work  will  merely 
pass,  and  say  to  yourself,  "  Oh,  that  is  good  enough  !" 
If  it  is  possible  for  you  to  do  it  better,  it  is  not 
good  enough.  Employ  your  reasoning  faculties  as 
well  as  your  physical  powers,  so  that  you  do  not 
sink  into  a  mere  machine.  When  performing  a  pro- 
cess, ask  yourself  the  question,  "  Why  is  this  done  ? 
What  is  the  object  of  it?    Can  the  process  be  im- 


74 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


proved?"  You  will  find  the  hand  to  be  an  apt 
instrument  of  the  mind  and  will,  and  that  you  will 
speedily  be  recognised  as  an  intelligent  workman. 
Have,  at  least,  this  much  ambition. 

The  next  process  which  the  volume  must  undergo 
is  the  gilding  or  colouring  of 

TJIE  EDGES. 

Colouring  the  edges  with  one  colour,  equally 
sprinkling  over,  marbling,  and  gilding,  come  under 
this  head;  and  the  style  of  ornament  of  this  de- 
scription must  depend  on  the  price  allowed  for  the 
work,  and  will  vary  according  to  the  taste  of  the 
workman  and  wish  of  the  employer. 

OF  COLOURING  AND  SPRINKLING. 

The  colours  most  used  are  brown  and  red,  in 
preparing  which  it  is  necessary  to  grind  them  in 
water,  very  fine,  on  a  slab,  with  a  muller.  Each 
colour  is  then  placed  in  a  separate  vase,  and  mixed 
up  with  a  little  paste  and  water  to  the  proper  con- 
sistency for  use.  To  procure  a  better  edge,  two 
drops  of  oil  and  about  an  equal  quantity  of  vinegar 
and  wxater  may  be  mixed  with  the  paste. 

In  colouring  the  edges  equally  over,  the  boards 
at  the  head  of  the  volume  must  be  beat  even  with 
the  edges,  and  the  book  rested  on  the  edge  of  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


75 


press  or  table ;  then,  holding  the  book  firm  with  the 
left  hand,  the  colours  must  be  applied  with  a  small 
sponge  or  brush,  passing  it  evenly  upon  the  edge, 
proceeding  towards  the  back  one  way  and  the 
gutter  the  other,  to  avoid  a  mass  of  colour  being 
lodged  in  the  angle  of  the  fore-edge.  This  done, 
the  other  parts  are  similarly  coloured,  the  fore-edge 
being  laid  open  from  the  boards  and  a  runner  held 
firm  above  to  prevent  the  colour  searching  into  the 
book.  It  will  be  perceived  that  a  dozen  volumes 
may  be  done  at  the  same  time  with  scarcely  more 
than  the  additional  trouble  of  placing  one  above 
the  other.  For  further  security,  and  to  prevent  the 
colour  searching  into  the  books,  it  is  advisable  to 
put  them  into  the  laying-press  and  screw  them 
moderately  tight.  In  fact,  for  all  good  work,  this 
must  be  done. 

In  sprinkling,  it  is  usual  to  tie  together  a  number 
of  volumes  with  a  board  on  each  side  of  the  outside 
books,  or  place  them  in  the  laying-press  first,  wTith 
the  heads  upwards ;  then,  with  a  large  brush,  simi- 
lar to  a  painter's,  dipped  in  whatever  colour  may 
be  wished,  and  wTell  beat  on  the  press-pin  over  the 
pot  till  the  sprinkle  becomes  fine,  the  edges  are 
covered.  The  pin  and  brush  are  held  sufficiently 
above  the  book,  and  the  edge  sprinkled  by  beating 


76 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


lightly  at  first,  and  stronger  as  the  brush  becomes 
less  charged  with  colour,  being  careful  that  the 
spots  are  as  fine  as  possible,  the  sprinkle  being 
thereby  made  more  beautiful. 

The  cleanest  method,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
surest  to  produce  a  fine  sprinkle,  is  to  use  a  wire 
sieve  and  a  stiff  brush,  something  like  a  shoe-brush, 
for  convenience.  The  sieve  should  be  oval  in  form, 
with  a  very  thick  wire  running  round  the  edge 
until  they  meet,  then  projecting  about  a  foot  from 
the  sieve  so  as  to  form  a  handle,  the  whole  somewhat 
resembling  in  shape  the  bat  used  by  ball-players. 
Fine  brass  wire  is  the  best  for  the  sieve.  The  wire 
should  be  about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  apart.  After 
every  thing  is  in  readiness,  dip  the  stiff  brush  in  the 
colour  and  lay  the  sieve  over  the  pan,  and  rub  the 
brush  over  it  to  get  rid  of  the  superfluous  colour,  which 
will  drop  into  the  pan ;  then  knock  off  all  the  loose 
colour  adhering  to  the  sieve;  then  hold  the  sieve 
over  the  books,  and  rub  the  brush  over  the  wires, 
lightly  at  first,  and  afterwards  harder  as  the  brush 
loses  the  colour.  The  colour  will  descend  like  a  fine 
mist,  and  the  effect  produced  upon  the  edge  cannot 
be  equalled  by  the  old  method.  Several  colours 
are  sometimes  used  with  very  pleasing  effect ;  some 
of  these  combinations  will  be  described,  and  many 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


77 


others  will  readily  occur  to  the  workman  as  his 
taste  may  suggest. 

COLOURS. 

Of  vegetable  colours,  and  ochres,  directions  for 
mixing  which  have  been  given  above,  it  will  only  be 
necessary  to  particularize  the  most  approved  and 
generally-used  substances.  The  liquid  ones  will  re- 
quire a  more  lengthened  description. 

Blue. — Indigo  and  Prussian  blue,  with  whiting 
for  lighter  shades. 

Yellow. — Dutch  pink,  King's  yellow,  and  yel- 
low orpine. 

Brown. — Umber,  burnt  over  the  fire. 

Red. — Vermilion;  or  Oxford  ochre,  burnt  in  a 
pan. 

Pink. — Rose-pink ;  to  make  it  brighter,  add  lake. 
Green. — The  first  and  second  mixed  to  any 
shade. 

The  liquid  or  spirit  colours  will  be  found  best 
for  use,  as  the  edges  will  not  rub,  which  all  other 
colours  are  liable  to  do.  Some  of  the  receipts  are 
well  known ;  but,  it  being  necessary  to  give  a  faith- 
ful record  of  the  art,  the  whole  of  the  colours  used 

and  modes  of  preparation  will  be  presented. 

*7 


78 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


BLUB. 

Two  ounces  of  the  best  indigo,  finely  powdered, 
mixed  with  a  teaspoonful  of  spirit  of  salts  and  two 
ounces  of  best  oil  of  vitriol.  Put  the  whole  into  a 
bottle,  and  let  it  remain  in  boiling  water  for  six  or 
eight  hours,  and  mix  with  water  as  wanted  to  the 
shade  required. 

YELLOW. 

French  berries,  saffron,  or  faustic  chips.  Boil 
with  a  small  portion  of  alum ;  strain  and  bottle  for 
use. 

GREEN. 

The  two  colours  above  will  make  an  excellent 
green  used  in  proportions  as  the  shade  required. 
Another  green  may  be  made  by  boiling  four  ounces 
of  verdigris  and  two  ounces  of  cream  of  tartar  till  a 
good  colour  is  produced. 

ORANGE. 

Two  ounces  of  Brazil  dust,  one  ounce  of  French 
berries,  bruised,  and  a  little  alum.  Boil  in  water 
and  strain. 

RED. 

Brazil  dust,  half  a' pound;  alum,  two  ounces,  well 
powdered ;  boiled  in  a  pint  of  vinegar  and  a  pint  of 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


79 


water  till  brought  down  to  a  pint.  Strain  and 
bottle.  The  red  edges  now  in  vogue  are  made 
with  vermilion,  mixed  with  vellum-size.  The  better 
class  are  scraped  before  they  are  coloured,  and 
afterwards  they  are  burnished. 

PURPLE. 

Logwood  chips,  in  the  proportion  of  half  a  pound 
to  two  ounces  of  alum,  and  a  small  piece  of  cop- 
peras, boiled  in  three  pints  of  soft  water  till  re- 
duced a  third,  will  make  a  good  purple. 

Brazil  dust,  submitted  to  the  action  of  strong 
potash  water,  will  make  a  good  purple  for  imme- 
diate use,  but  will  not  keep. 

BROWN. 

A  quarter  of  a  pound  of  logwood,  and  the  same 
quantity  of  French  berries,  boiled  together.  If  a 
darker  shade  is  required,  add  a  little  copperas. 
Plain  brown  edges  are  made  with  burnt  umber, 
in  the  same  manner  as  that  described  for  red  edges. 

With  these  colours,  edges  of  books  may  be 
sprinkled  to  almost  an  infinite  number  of  patterns. 
A  few  will  be  given;  for,  though  fancy  sprinkles 
are  seldom  used  where  the  binder  can  get  the  edges 


80 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  extra  books  marbled,  they  will  be  of  use  to  those 
who  would  find  marbling  a  work  of  too  great  pre- 
paration and  expense  for  a  small  number  of  books 
in  places  where  there  is  no  marbler. 

RICE  MARBLE. 

This  pattern  has  been  so  called  from  the  use  of 
rice ;  but  linseed,  or  bread  crumbs,  will  answer  the 
same  purpose.  The  rice  is  laid  on  the  edge  of  the 
book  according  to  fancy,  and  the  edge  sprinkled 
with  any  colour,  the  rice  thus  forming  blank  spaces. 
The  edge  may  be  coloured  previously  all  over,  or 
sprinkled  with  a  lighter  shade. 

WHITE  SPOT. 

Take  white  wax  and  melt  it  in  a  pot;  then  wTith 
a  brush  throw  some  upon  the  edge  of  the  book ;  when 
it  is  set,  colour  the  edge  with  a  sponge.  Take  the 
book  and  give  it  two  or  three  smart  knocks  on  the 
end  of  the  press,  when  the  wax  will  fly  off  and  a 
beautiful  white  spot  remain.  This  pattern  may  be 
much  varied  by  using  two  or  three  colours  or 
sprinkling  the  edge  before  the  wax  is  thrown  on, 
and,  after  it  is,  again  with  other  colours. 

Whiting  mixed  with  water  to  a  thick  consistency 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


81 


will  nearly  answer  the  same  purpose,  and  is  less 
expensive  than  wax. 

FANCY  MARBLE. 

t. 

Take  a  small  portion  of  rose-pink,  green,  or  any 
other  vegetable  colour,  and  well  bray  it  on  the  slab 
with  the  muller,  till  reduced  to  a  fine  powder. 
Prepare  a  dish,  or  other  vessel,  large  enough  to 
admit  the  fore-edge  of  the  book,  and  filled  with 
clear  water;  then  with  the  palette-knife  mix  a 
portion  of  the  colours  with  spirits  of  wine,  and 
convey  with  the  knife  some  of  the  same  to  the 
middle  of  the  vessel,  and  allow  it  to  flow  gradually 
on  the  surface  of  the  water.  The  spirit  of  wine 
will  cause  it  to  spread  in  a  diversity  of  pleasing 
forms,  when  the  edge  of  the  book  must  be  dipped 
in  the  same  manner  as  for  marbling,  and  a  very 
neat  pattern  will  be  produced  at  a  trifling  cost,  as  no 
more  colour  need  be  mixed  than  wanted  at  each  time. 

GOLD  SPRINKLE. 

After  the  edges  of  the  book  are  stained  with 
any  of  the  colours  above  described,  a  good  effect 
may  be  given  by  sprinkling  with  a  gold  liquid, 
made  in  the  following  manner: — Take  a  book  of 


82 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


gold  and  half  an  ounce  of  honey,  and  rub  them 
together  in  a  mortar  until  they  are  very  fine ;  then 
add  half  a  pint  of  clear  water  and  mix  them  well 
together.  After  the  water  clears,  pour  it  off  and  put 
in  more,  till  the  honey  is  all  extracted  and  nothing 
left  but  the  gold;  mix  one  grain  of  corrosive  sub- 
limate with  a  teaspoonful  of  spirits  of  wine,  and 
when  dissolved  put  the  same,  with  a  little  thick  gum- 
water,  to  the  gold,  and  bottle  it,  always  shaking  it 
well  before  using.  When  dry,  burnish  the  edge, 
and  cover  it  with  paper  till  the  work  is  finished. 

MAKBLINGL 

Marbling  is  an  art  which  consists  in  the  produc- 
tion of  certain  patterns  and  effects  by  means  of 
colours  so  prepared  as  to  float  upon  a  preparation 
of  mucilaginous  Hquid,  possessing  certain  antago- 
nistic properties  to  the  colours  prepared  for  the 
purpose,  and  which  colours,  wThen  so  prepared, 
floated  and  formed  into  patterns  upon  the  surface 
of  the  liquid,  are  taken  off  by  laying  thereon  a 
piece  or  sheet  of  paper  or  dipping  therein  the 
smoothly-cut  edges  of  a  book. 

It  is  a  process  which  it  is  not  very  easy  to  de- 
scribe ;  and  yet,  to  any  one  beholding  it  for  the 
first  time,  nothing  appears  more  simple  or  easy 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


83 


of  execution.  Yet  the  difficulties  are  many;  and 
the  longer  any  one  practises  it,  the  more  he  will 
become  convinced  that  there  are  many  more  dis- 
coveries to  be  made  before  the  art  can  be  brought 
to  any  thing  like  perfection  or  effects  produced 
with  that  certainty  which  the  workman  could 
desire.  In  short,  it  may  be  said  to  be  still  in 
its  infancy. 

When  the  art  was  first  discovered,  and  by  whom, 
or  in  what  city  or  country  it  was  first  practised,  it 
is  hardly  possible  to  determine*  It  is  supposed 
that  we  cannot  go  farther  back  for  its  origin  than 
the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  that 
Holland  has  the  honour  of  being  the  birthplace  of 
the  art, — the  old  Dutch  and  some  drawn  and  an- 
tique patterns,  with  stormont  and  other  spots,  being 
considered  the  most  original. 

Many  years  ago  this  old  Dutch  paper,  in  the  size 
of  foolscap,  was  imported  into  England,  wrapped 
round  small  parcels  of  Dutch  toys,  and  thus  passed 
free  of  duty.  When  taken  off,  it  was  carefully 
smoothed  and  sold  to  bookbinders,  commanding  a 
high  price,  being  only  used  on  the  better  kinds  of 
work.  Indeed,  so  choice  was  it  that  you  may  still 
see  in  some  old  books  the  inside-linings  made  of 
pieces  carefully  joined  together.    Something  of  the 


84 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


art  has  unfortunately  been  lost  since  that  time,  for 
both  the  colours  and  the  execution  of  some  of  these 
old  specimens  far  surpass  the  best  efforts  of  the 
most  celebrated  modern  marblers. 

It  is  proposed,  however,  to  show,  as  clearly  and 
briefly  as  possible,  how  it  is  done  and  practised  at 
the  present  day  by  the  best  English  workmen,  and 
to  describe  the  various  processes  in  such  a  manner 
as  will  enable  any  individual  possessed  of  a  common 
share  of  understanding  and  discernment,  to  do  it 
himself;  and,  where  there  are  two  ways  of  doing  it, 
that  will  be  described  which  experience  has  pro- 
nounced to  be  easiest  and  best. 

In  describing  one  pattern,  that  will  Ibe  considered 
sufficient  to  include  all  of  the  same  class,  or  that  are 
done  in  the  same  manner,  although  different  colours 
may  be  used.  For  instance,  a  brown  may  be  de- 
scribed, and  green,  being  the  same  in  every  respect 
as  regards  the  mixing  and  working  the  colours,  may 
be  substituted  for  the  brown ;  and  so  in  regard  to 
other  colours. 

COLOURS. 

The  colours  required  for  marbling  are  the  same 
as  those  ordinarily  used  for  painting  both  in  oil  and 
distemper.   They  should  be  procured  in  a  dry  state, 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


85 


just  as  they  are  produced  or  manufactured,  and 
ground  by  the  marbler  himself.  A  list  is  sub- 
joined : —  * 

REDS. 

Drop  Lake. 
Peach-wood  Lake. 
Vermilion. 
Rose-Pink. 

Oxford  Ochre,  Burnt. 

BLUES. 

Indigo. 

Chinese  Blue. 
Ultramarine. 
Prussian  Blue. 

YELLOWS. 

Lemon  Chrome. 
Dutch  Pink. 
Oxford  Ochre,  Raw. 

BLACKS. 


Vegetable  Lamp-Black. 
Drop  Ivory-Black. 

8 


86 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


BROWN. 

Turkey  Umber  Burnt. 

ORANGE. 

Orange  Lead. 
Orange  Chrome. 

WHITE. 

China  Clay. 
Pipe-Clay. 
Flake  White. 
Paris  White. 


DROP  LAKE. 

This  is  the  most  beautiful,  but  the  most  expensive, 
of  all  the  reds,  and  is  used  only  for  book-edges  and 
the  most  superior  kinds  of  work.  There  are  dif- 
ferent shades  of  this  colour,  viz. :  —  scarlet,  crim- 
son, and  purple.  The  scarlet  is  the  most  expen- 
sive, and  looks  the  best  on  edges,  possessing  a 
brilliancy  which  no  other  colour  will  produce ;  but 
there  is  a  great  quantity  of  a  very  inferior  kind  of 
drop  lake  about,  which  is  of  no  use  whatever  to  a 
marbler,  for,  when  it  comes  to  be  worked,  it  is  found 
to  possess  no  body. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


87 


In  order  to  ascertain  whether  the  article  about  to  N 
be  purchased  will  answer,  take  a  piece  of  the 
colour,  and,  breaking  it,  apply  the  broken  part  to 
the  tongue.  If  it  adhere  to  the  tongue,  it  is  very 
doubtful  whether  it  will  do ;  but  if  it  hold  up  the 
moisture  without  any  inclination  to  adhere,  it  may 
be  tried  with  better  expectations.  This  colour  is 
sold  in  the  form  of  small  cones  or  drops,  from  which 
it  derives  its  name,  and  is  a  preparation  of  cochi- 
neal ;  therefore  the  value  of  it  depends  much  upon 
the  price  of  that  article. 

VERMILION. 

This  colour  is  but  little  used,  on  account  of  its 
great  specific  gravity,  and  seldom  without  being 
combined  with  some  other  colour.  It  is  a  prepara- 
tion of  mercury,  and,  though  nominally  at  a  much 
lower  price  than  lake,  yet  so  little  of  it  goes  to  a 
pound,  it  comes  nearly  as  dear  as  that  article. 

ROSE-PINK. 

This  is  a  very  useful  though  common  colour.  It  is 
composed  of  c^alk  or  whiting  coloured  with  Brazil 
wood ;  consequently  it  is  what  is  termed  a  fugitive 
colour,  the  pink  very  quickly  fading  on  exposure  to 
the  atmosphere,*  or  to  heat.    When  combined  with 


88 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


indigo  or  a  little  Chinese  blue  it  makes  a  good 
purple. 

BURNT  OCHRE. 

This  colour  is  obtained  in  its  native  state  from 
pits  dug  in  the  earth  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Ox- 
ford; hence,  it  is  called  Oxford  ochre,  and  some- 
times stone  ochre.  It  is  in  fact  a  kind  of  clay,  and 
when  made  red-hot  turns  to  a  kind  of  red  colour. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  useful  colours,  and,  as  the 
price  is  low,  is  extensively  used.  With  the  addition 
of  a  little  black  it  makes  a  good  brown ;  with  a  little 
blue  or  indigo  it  makes  a  good  olive ;  or  it  is  a  good 
colour  used  by  itself,  and  is  not  liable  to  change. 

WOOD  LAKE. 

This  is  a  preparation  of  peach-wood,  and  has 
only  been  introduced  of  late  years  to  the  notice  of 
marblers.  It  is  manufactured  at  Birmingham.  This 
colour  is  an  exception  to  the  rule,  as  it  is  sold  in 
the  pulp  or  damp  state,  and  may  be  mixed  and  even 
used  without  grinding,  being  made  almost  ex- 
clusively for  marbling.  It  is  the  best  red  that  can 
be  used  for  general  purposes,  and  for  appearance 
comes  next  to  the  drop  lake. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


89 


CHINESE  BLUE. 

This  is  a  very  beautiful  but  not  a  very  durable 
colour.  It  is,  however,  an  almost  indispensable  one 
to  the  marbler,  as  it  will  produce  nearly  every 
shade  of  blue  by  the  addition  of  certain  propor- 
tions of  white.  This  colour  requires  to  be  par- 
ticularly well  ground,  as  indeed  do  all  the  blues. 
It  is  also  sold  at  some  places  in  the  pulp  or  damp 
state.    There  are  some  very  good  damp  blues  made. 

INDIGO. 

This  colour  is  a  most  valuable  article,  and  cannot 
be  dispensed  with  under  any  consideration.  It  is 
too  well  known  to  require  describing.  Though  not 
a  bright  colour,  it  is  one  of  the  most  durable,  and 
for  mixing  and  producing  greens  and  purples  of  a 
permanent  kind  is  invaluable.  Neither  can  a  good 
black  be  made  without  it.  Care  should,  however, 
be  taken  to  procure  it  of  the  best  quality. 

ULTRAMARINE. 

This  is  a  very  beautiful  colour,  but  must  be  used 
very  sparingly,  as  it  will  not  glaze  or  take  any  kind 
of  polish,  and  is  always  inclined  to  rub  off.  The 
kinds  now  in  general  use  are  the  French  and  Grer- 

8* 


90 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


man,  the  genuine  article  being  far  too  high  in  price 
for  this  kind  of  work. 

PRUSSIAN  BLUE. 

This  colour  has  been  of  late  almost  entirely 
superseded  by  the  Chinese  blue,  which  is  a  much 
brighter  colour,  Prussian  blue  being  darker  and 
heavier  looking,  and  is  a  very  bad  colour  for 
glazing. 

DUTCH  PINK. 

This  is  a  common  but  very  useful  colour.  It  is  a 
preparation  of  whiting  and  quercitron  bark,  and  is 
used  in  making  greens,  no  other  colour  answering 
the  purpose  so  well.  It  is  also  very  useful  in  mix- 
ing with  chrome  to  produce  the  various  shades  of 
yellow  required. 

CHROME. 

This  is  of  various  shades,  varying  from  a  light 
lemon  colour  to  a  deep  orange  approaching  to  a 
red.  It  is  a  useful  colour;  but,  unless  you  get  it 
genuine,  it  is  very  difficult  to  get  it  to  work 
properly. 

RAW  OCHRE, 

Or  Oxford  ochre  in  its  native  state.  This  may 
be  used  in  certain  proportions  for  making  olive 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


91 


tints  combined  with  Dutch  pink  and  blue  or  black. 
It  is  also  of  use  in  small  quantities  to  mix  with 
yellow  when  it  is  inclined  to  run  off,  this  colour 
being  of  a  very  adhesive  nature. 

DROP  IVORY-BLACK. 

This  colour  cannot  be  well  used  alone.  It  may, 
therefore,  be  called  only  an  auxiliary  to  others. 

VEGETABLE-BLACK. 

This  is  a  superior  kind  of  lamp-black,  but  pre- 
pared from  vegetable  instead  of  animal  matter.  It 
is  surprisingly  light,  and  cannot  be  used  alone,  and 
will  not  produce  a  black  for  marbling  except  in 
combination  with  double  its  weight  of  good  Indigo. 

TURKEY  UMBER,  BURNT. 

This  colour  produces  a  very  good  brown,  but 
it  is  not  required  if  you  have  the  burnt  Oxford 
ochre,  as,  with  the  aid  of  that  colour  and  a  little 
indigo  and  black,  any  shade  of  brown  may  be  pro- 
duced. 

ORANGE  LEAD. 

This  is  a  very  heavy  colour,  and  is  but  little 
used,  except  for  the  edges  of  account  books. 


92 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


WHITE. 

For  this  an  article  called  China  clay  is  used; 
also,  for  some  purposes,  the  common  pipe-clay. 

GUM. 

Of  all  the  varieties  of  gum,  there  is  but  one 
that  is  of  any  use  to  the  marbler,  and  that  is  called 
gum-tragacanth  or  gum-dragon.  Too  much  care 
cannot  be  exercised  in  the  choice  of  this  article, 
as  much  of  the  excellence  of  the  work  depends 
upon  it.  It  should  be  large,  white,  and  flaky. 
Occasionally  there  will  be  found  some  very  good 
in  small  white  flakes;  but  let  that  in  dark  brown 
lumps  be  rejected  at  once,  no  matter  at  what 
price  it  may  be  offered.  If  used  at  all,  it  would 
only  do  for  the  most  common  kind  of  work;  but 
there  is,  in  reality,  no  saving  in  an  inferior  article, 
as  one  pound  of  a  really  good  sort  will  go  as  far 
as  two  of  a  bad,  and  produce  a  far  more  satis- 
factory result.  Good  gum  ought  to  dissolve  in 
cold  water;  it  requires  at  least  forty-eight  hours 
soaking,  being  well  stirred  about  at  intervals; 
but  some  gums  take  longer  to  dissolve.  Good 
gum  will  produce  a  smooth  surface,  but  bad  gum 
will  often  yield  a  rough  one,  which  is  inimical 
to  the  purpose.    Again,  some  will  give  a  smooth 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


93 


surface,  and  yet  possess  no  strength ;  the  colours 
will  flow  well  upon  it  and  form  properly,  and, 
when  the  paper  is  taken  off,  will  look,  at  first, 
very  beautiful,  but  upon  looking  at  it  five  or  ten 
minutes  after  it  has  been  hung  up,  the  colours  will 
be  found  running  off,  causing  indescribable  an- 
noyance and  mortification. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  PREPARING  THE  GUM. 

Procure  a  large  earthen  pan,  glazed  on  the 
inside,  capable  of  containing  from  eight  to  twelve 
gallons  of  water.  Put  therein  one  pound  of  gum- 
tragacanth,  and  on  it  pour  about  two  gallons  of  soft 
water.  Stir  it  every  few  hours  with  a  clean  birch 
broom  kept  expressly  for  the  purpose,  breaking  the 
lumps  and  adding  more  water  as  it  thickens  or 
absorbs  that  previously  put  in.  In  about  forty- 
eight  hours  you  may  venture  to  use  it ;  but  seventy- 
two  hours  would  be  better.  Some  gum  is  all  the 
better  for  a  longer  period,  as,  although  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  gum  may  be  dissolved, 
yet  the  best  properties  of  it  are  not  extracted 
till  the  whole  is  dissolved.  It  must  be  strained 
through  a  fine  hair  sieve  before  using,  and  if 
any  lumps  remain,  put  them  back  into  the  pan 
until  they  are  all  dissolved. 


94 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


OF  LINSEED. 

It  is  possible  to  marble  some  patterns  on  mu- 
cilage of  linseed,  but  it  is  a  very  objectionable 
vehicle  to  work  upon,  and  can  never  be  made 
to  produce  a  satisfactory  result.  It  is  made  either 
by  boiling  one  quart  of  linseed  in  six  or  eight 
gallons  of  water,  or  by  pouring  the  boiling  water 
upon  the  linseed  and  stirring  it  until  it  extracts 
the  mucilaginous  properties  of  the  seed;  but  it 
very  soon  decomposes  or  turns  to  water 

CARRAGEEN,  OR  IRISH  MOSS. 

This  is  an  article  used  by  some,  and  can  be 
dispensed  with  altogether:  it  is  not  a  necessary 
article.  When  used,  it  should  be  picked  (the  white 
being  the  best)  and  well  washed;  then  set  it  to 
simmer  in  a  gentle  heat  for  an  hour  or  two, 
strain  it  through  a  fine  hair  sieve,  and  it  will  be 
ready  for  use  ;  but  it  will  require  a  portion  of 
the  solution  of  gum-tragacanth  to  be  able  to  do 
much  with  it. 

FLEA-SEED. 

This  is  an  article  but  little  known  except  to 
those  who  have  occasion  to  use  it.  It  is  a  small, 
brown,  hard  seed,  in  size,  shape,  and  colour  closely 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


95 


resembling  the  annoying  little  insect  whose  name  it 
bears,  and  from  which  it  may  possibly  derive  its 
appellation.  It  produces  a  very  strong  and  power- 
ful mucilage  —  far  stronger  than  that  which  can 
be  obtained  from  linseed;  and  what  enhances 
its  value  is  that  it  will  not  so  soon  lose  its  strength 
or  turn  to  water,  but  will  keep  several  days.  It 
is  a  great  assistant,  mixed  with  gum,  in  the  making 
of  French  and  Spanish  marbles,  but  is  a  total 
enemy  to  nonpareil  and  drawn  patterns. 

To  prepare  it,  put  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  the 
seed  into  a  pan,  pour  upon  it  a  gallon  of  boiling 
water,  keep  it  well  stirred  for  ten  minutes,  and  let 
it  stand  for  half  an  hour ;  then  stir  it  again  for  ten 
minutes  more,  and  in  another  half-hour  add  another 
gallon  of  boiling  wTater,  stirring  it  as  before,  at 
intervals,  for  one  hour ;  after  which  let  it  remain, 
and  the  seed  will  settle  at  the  bottom  of  the  pan. 
When  cold,  pour  off  the  top  for  use,  and  the  seed 
will  bear  more  boiling  water,  though  not  so  much  as 
at  first.  Sometimes  the  seed  will  yield  a  third 
extract ;  but  this  must  be  determined  by  your  judg- 
ment, as  the  seed,  when  exhausted,  will  lose  its 
viscid  property,  and  must  then  be  thrown  away. 
The  seed  should  never  be  stirred  up  after  it  has 


96 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


cooled,  for  it  will  settle  without  being  again  heated 
or  having  more  boiling  water  added  to  it. 

OX-GALL. 

The  surest  way  of  obtaining  this  article  genuine 
is  by  procuring  it  in  the  bladder  as  it  is  taken 
from  the  animal,  if  you  are  acquainted  with  any 
butcher  upon  whom  you  can  depend.  The .  gall 
from  some  animals  is  very  thick,  but  will,  after 
keeping  some  time,  get  thin,  without  at  all  losing 
its  properties;  in  fact,  gall  is  all  the  better  for 
being  kept,  and  is  none  the  worse  for  a  strong 
smell. 

WATER. 

Soft  or  rain  water,  when  it  can  be  procured, 
is  the  best  adapted  for  all  the  preparations  in 
marbling. 

OE   THE    PREPARATIONS    OR   VEHICLES  REQUIRED 
EOR  MARBLING  UPON. 

For  Spanish,  French,  Italian,  West  End,  and 
British  patterns,  there  will  be  required  a  mixture 
of  gum-tragacanth  and  the  mucilage  of  flea-seed, 
in  the  proportions  of  one  quart  of  the  latter  to  two 
gallons  of  the  former.  Beat  them  well  up  together 
till  they  are  thoroughly  mixed  or  incorporated  with 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


97 


each  other,  strain  it  through  a  fine  hair  sieve  into 
the  trough,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

For  Dutch,  nonpareil,  curls,  antiques,  and,  in 
short,  all  patterns  which  require  to  be  formed  with 
any  kind  of  instrument  on  the  preparation  in  the 
trough,  use  nothing  but  the  pure  solution  of  the 
gum-tragacanth ;  in  fact,  you  may  marble  all  the 
patterns  on  this  'alone,  so  that  if  there  be  any  diffi- 
culty in  procuring  the  other  articles,  and  you  can 
procure  good  gum,  you  may  do  any  or  all  of 
the  patterns  upon  it,  although  some  of  them  are 
improved  by  the  addition  of  the  mucilage  of  the 
flea-seed. 

As  some  gum  is  stronger  than  other,  it  is  hardly 
prudent  or  possible  to  give  any  exact  weight  of  gum 
to  any  certain  quantity  of  water.  Practice  and 
your  own  judgment  must  determine  this.  Besides, 
if  the  gum  be  not  sufficiently  soaked  or  beaten  up, 
it  will  not  yield  so  much  or  so  good  size  as  it  would 
were  it  in  its  right  state.  The  following  will  give 
some  idea  to  guide  in  the  matter : — If,  on  skimming 
the  surface  and  sprinkling  on  the  colours,  they  lose 
their  shape  and  appear  to  turn  round  on  the  solu- 
tion, especially  in  the  corners  of  the  trough,  it  is  a 
sign  that  it  is  too  thin ;  if,  on  the  other  hand,  on 

skimming  there  is  a  great  resistance  when  the  skim- 

9 


98 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


mer  is  drawn  along,  and,  upon  sprinkling  on  the 
colours,  they  crack,  and  are  a  long  while  spreading 
out,  it  is  a  sign  it  is  too  thick ;  but  a  little  practice 
will  soon  enable  the  learner  to  form  a  correct  judg- 
ment in  this  matter. 

OF  GRINDING  THE  COLOURS. 

On  this  head  you  must  be  very  particular  indeed; 
for,  if  the  colours  are  not  finely  or  properly  ground, 
it  cannot  be  expected  that  the  work  will  look  well. 
When  a  large  quantity  is  required,  a  colour-mill  is 
the  most  advantageous  method ;  but  if  on  a  small 
scale,  or  for  edges,  the  ordinary  stone  and  muller 
will  be  best  adapted  for  the  purpose.  Indeed,  all 
colours  required  for  edges  ought  to  be  most  par- 
ticularly well  ground  upon  a  slab,  with  a  muller, 
the  mill  not  grinding  so  finely  as  by  this  method. 

The  colours  must  all  be  ground  with  a  preparation 
of  beeswax,  in  the  average  proportion  of  one  ounce 
of  the  prepared  beeswax  to  one  pound  of  colour. 
Blues  and  greens  require  rather  more.  This  will 
prevent  the  colour  rubbing  off  on  the  hand,  and  will 
make  it  burnish  or  glaze  easily. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


99 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  PREPARING  THE  WAX  FOR 
GRINDING. 

To  attempt  to  grind  beeswax  in  its  native  state 
would  be  a  fruitless  task,  as  it  would  stick  to  the 
stones  and  not  unite  with  the  other  ingredients. 
To  obviate  this,  prepare  it  in  the  following  manner : 
Take  of  the  very  best  beeswax  two  pounds,  put  it 
in  an  earthen  pipkin,  and  with  it  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  the  very  best  curd-soap  cut  into  small  or 
thin  pieces ;  place  it  in  a  moderate  heat,  and  when 
both  soap  and  wax  are  quite  dissolved,  (but  be  sure 
they  are  not  boiling,)  put  the  pipkin  containing  the 
hot  liquid  upon  a  table,  take  in  one  hand  a  pot  of 
cold  water,  and,  gently  stirring  the  melted  wax  with 
the  other,  pour  in  the  water,  a  little  at  a  time,  keep- 
ing it  constantly  stirred,  and  it  will  gradually 
thicken,  until  at  last  it  can  hardly  be  stirred  at  all. 
Care  must  be  taken  not  to  have  it  too  hot  when  the 
water  is  poured  in,  as  there  is  danger  of  it  flying  out 
of  the  pipkin  and  scalding  the  workman.  If  pro- 
perly mixed,  when  cool,  it  can  be  pulverized  between 
the  finger  arid  thumb ;  and  in  this  state  it  will  mix 
or  grind  with  the  colour  easily,  but  ought  to  be 
rubbed  or  worked  in  with  the  dry  colour  before 
wetting  it  for  grinding. 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


TROUGHS. 

The  troughs  should  be  made  of  wood,  perfectly 
flat  and  smooth  at  the  bottom,  and  of  sufficient 
thickness  to  keep  them  from  warping.  They  should 
be  about  two  and  a  half  inches  deep  inside,  and 
about  two  inches  larger  than  the  sheet  of  paper  you 
intend  marbling,  or  your  edges  will  be  imperfect. 
There  should  be  about  three  inches  parted  off  on 
the  right-hand  side  by  a  sloping  partition,  w^hich 
should  be  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  below  the 
sides,  that  the  waste  may  be  skimmed  over  it  with- 
out running  it  over  the  top.  The  whole  should  be 
perfectly  level  and  true;  and,  if  the  joints  are 
stopped  with  white  lead,  be  sure  it  is  quite  dry  and 
hard,  or  it  will  entirely  spoil  the  solution,  and  will 
fill  the  pattern  with  white. 

FRENCH  OR  SHELL  MARBLE. 

To  commence  with  the  easiest  and  most  common 
kinds  of  marbled  papers  : — the  colours  being  properly 
ground,  and  the  trough  placed  on  a  level  table  or 
fixed  bench  of  convenient  height,  with  some  feet  of 
spare  room  on  each  side,  place  the  pots  containing 
the  colours  on  the  right-hand  side,  and  the  paper  or 
books  to  be  marbled  on  the  left.    Let  there  be  a 


'art  of  bookbinding. 


101 


small  brush  in  each  of  the  pots  of  vein-colours,  and 
a  larger  one  in  the  last  or  body-colour.  Have  a  small 
iron  rod  or  bar  about  twelve  or  fourteen  inches  long, 
placed  so  that  you  may  be  able  to  take  it  up  when 
required  with  the  left  hand.  Fill  the  trough  to 
about  one-half  or  three-quarters  of  an  inch  from  the 
top  with  the  solution  of  gum-tragacanth  and  flea- 
seed,  as  previously  described,  and  proceed  to  mix 
the  colours. 

For  convenience  of  reference,  the  various  patterns 
described  and  processes  employed  will  be  numbered. 

NO.  1.     LARGE   BROWN    FRENCH  OR    SHELL,  WITH 
THREE  VEINS,  VIZ.  :  RED,  YELLOW,  AND  BLACK. 

Mix  together  ox-gall  and  water  in  the  proportion 
of  one-eighth  of  the  former  to  seven-eighths  of  the 
latter.  Mix  the  vein-colours  with  this  mixture,  put- 
ting in  a  little  at  a  time,  and  gently  stirring  it  about 
with  the  brush  (but  be  careful  not  to  make  it  froth 
by  too  rapid  stirring)  until  you  arrive  at  the  proper 
consistence,  which  must  be  ascertained  by  sprinkling 
a  little  colour  on  the  solution  in  the  trough.  If  the 
colour  sinks,  and  does  not  spread  out,  add  a  little 
neat-gall ;  but,  should  it  spread  too  far  and  open  too 
much,  mix  a  little  more  colour  with  water  only,  and 

put  it  to  that  which  spreads  too  much. 

9* 


102 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


The  brown  will  require  more  gall?  less  water,  and 
a  few  drops  of  the  very  best  olive-oil,  which  will 
cause  it  to  form  itself  into  rings  or  shells  as  it 
falls  on  the  solution  in  the  trough.  This  colour 
will  require  to  be  thicker  than  the  vein-colours, 
and,  when  thrown  or  sprinkled,  should  drive  or 
force  the  other  colours  into  the  form  of  veins.  By 
increasing  the  quantity  of  gall  in  the  last  colour,  it 
will  bring  the  veins  to  almost  any  degree  of  fine- 
ness ;  but  there  is  a  point  beyond  which  it  is  not 
advisable  to  go.  If  the  brown  does  not  shell 
enough,  but  forms  in  holes,  add  a  few  more  drops 
of  oil,  and  well  mix  it;  but  if  there  be  too 
much  oil  it  will  spoil  the  effect  of  the  shell  alto- 
gether, which  cannot  be  counteracted  in  any  other 
way  than  by  mixing  some  more  colour  without  any 
oil,  and  adding  it  thereto. 

Having,  then,  all  in  readiness,  first  skim  the  sur- 
face of  the  solution  lightly  all  over,  and  imme- 
diately (for  when  you  begin  it  is  necessary  to  move 
quickly  till  all  the  colours  are  on)  sprinkle  on  the 
colours,  beginning  with  the  red,  next  yellow, 
thirdly,  black;  then  with  the  principal  or  body- 
colour  go  well  and  equally  all  over,  taking  care  to 
throw  as  much  colour  on  one  part  of  the  surface  as 
another;  then  take  up  a  sheet  of  paper  by  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


103 


two  opposite  corners,  and  let  the  corner  "between  the 
finger  and  thumb  of  the  right  hand  touch  the  sur- 
face first,  while  with  the  left  you  let  the  paper  gra- 
dually descend,  till  it  lies  flat  upon  the  liquid. 
If  it  is  let  down  too  quickly,  or  the  paper  gets  rum- 
pled, so  as  to  allow  the  air  to  get  under  it,  white 
blotches  will  appear  when  it  is  taken  out  of  the 
trough ;  and  if  the  paper  be  allowed  to  lie  long 
enough  upon  the  size  to  draw  out  the  blisters,  still 
the  marks  will  show. 

In  order  to  take  the  paper  out,  lay  a  lath  or  thin 
stick  across  the  centre  of  the  paper  as  it  lies  in  the 
trough ;  let  it  be  long  enough  for  the  ends  to  rest 
upon  the  edges  of  the  trough ;  then  take  hold  of  the 
paper  by  the  two  parallel  corners,  lay  it  back 
over  the  stick,  lift  it  out  of  the  trough  by  the  stick, 
in  the  same  manner  as  it  might  hang  across  a 
line,  and  place  it  on  a  rack  to  dry. 

NO.  2. — SMALL  BROWN  FRENCH. 

This  pattern  is  produced  with  precisely  the  same 
colours  as  No.  1,  by  using  the  iron  rod  previously 
described.  It  is  held  in  the  left  hand,  and  the 
brush  knocked  against  it,  which  causes  the  colour  to 
fall  in  small  spots,  and  reproduces  the  No.  1 
pattern,  as  it  were,  in  miniature. 


104 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


NO.  3. — BROWN  FRENCH,  WITH  LIGHT  SPOT. 

This  pattern  has  but  two  vein-colours — the  red 
and  the  black.  These  are  mixed  with  the  mixture 
of  gall  and  water,  as  described  for  the  veins  of 
No.  1.  It  has  also  two  other  colours.  The  brown 
is  mixed  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  brown  for 
No.  1,  but  not  quite  so  much  gall  and  oil,  to 
allow  for  the  other  colour  flowing  out  upon  it ;  and 
the  last,  or  light  spot,  is  composed  of  raw  or  un- 
burn t  Oxford  ochre,  and  is  mixed  with  gall,  water, 
a  few  drops  of  olive-oil,  and  a  portion  of  spirits 
of  turpentine. 

NO.  4. — SMALL  YELLOW  SHELL. 

This  is  done  in  the  same  manner  as  No.  2  as 
regards  the  mixing  and  working,  the  only  difference 
being  in  the  body-colour. 

NO.  5. — BROWN  AND  PURPLE  SHELL. 

This  pattern  has  three  veins  and  two  French 
colours,  or  colours  that  have  been  mixed  as  French, 
— that  is,  with  oil  in  them, — the  last  of  which,  in 
this  instance,  is  the  purple.  Being  mixed  with  a 
little  more  both  of  the  gall  and  oil  than  the  other, 
in  order  to  make  it  flow  out,  over,  and  drive  up  the 
other  colours,  a  marbler  will  be  able,  if  he  follows 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


105 


these  instructions,  to  imitate  any  French  pattern, 
whether  there  be  more  or  less  colours  in  them. 

NO.  6. — BLUE  STORMONT 

Is  an  old  pattern,  but  well  worthy  of  being  revived. 
Though  apparently  very  simple  and  easy  of  execu- 
tion, it  is  nevertheless  very  difficult  to  keep  in 
order,  in  consequence  of  the  speedy  evaporation 
and  the  chemical  changes  which  are  continually 
taking  place  among  the  ingredients  with  which  it  is 
mixed.  It  requires  great  quickness  and  acute  ob- 
servation on  the  part  of  the  workman. 

There  is  but  one  vein-colour,  (red,)  and  the 
ground  or  body-colour  is  blue.  The  same  prepara- 
tion of  gum  and  flea-seed  is  used  for  this  as  for 
the  French  marble.  Mix  the  red  for  vein,  as 
usual,  with  gall  and  water.  The  other  colour 
must  consist  of  good  indigo  alone,  without  which 
the  proper  effect  cannot  be  produced,  The  indigo 
being  ground,  as  before  directed  in  the  instructions 
for  grinding  the  colours,  proceed  to  mix  the  indigo 
with  gall,  water,  and  spirits  of  turpentine,  —  of 
which  last  ingredient  it  will  require  a  considerable 
proportion,  in  order  to  make  it  break  full  of  little 
holes.  The  acme  of  this  pattern  is  to  make  it 
look  like  fine  network.     Sometimes  it  will  happen 


106 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


that  at  first  mixing  it  will  not  work,  but  after 
standing  a  day  or  two  it  will  work  well,  while  at 
other  times  it  will  work  immediately.  If  the  holes 
come  too  large  from  an  excess  of  turpentine,  (for 
they  will  sometimes  come  too  large  from  not  having 
enough,)  add  a  little  more  gall  and  some  fresh 
indigo,  putting  in  a  few  drops  of  alum-water ;  but 
be  very  careful  of  this ;  for,  if  there  be  too  much,  it 
will  make  the  colour  thick  and  clotted :  in  which 
case  have  recourse  to  a  little  of  the  solution  of 
potash ;  but  it  is  best,  if  possible,  to  do  without 
either  of  them. 

NO.  7. — LIGHT  ITALIAN. 

A  very  pretty  though  simple  pattern,  but  requires 
great  cleanliness  of  working  to  turn  it  out  well. 
The  colours  being  ground  as  before  directed,  proceed 
to  mix  them  with  gall  and  water  only,  as  though  they 
were  for  veins.  The  last  colour  is  white;  this  requires 
a  greater  proportion  of  gall  than  the  other  colours, 
and  a  larger  brush,  as  in  the  French  patterns. 

After  skimming  the  size,  proceed  by  beating  or 
knocking  on  the  colours, — viz. :  red,  green,  and 
black,  as  in  small  French,  taking  especial  care  to 
have  the  rings  of  the  brushes  free  from  any  accumu- 
lation of  colour,  or  they  will  cause  large  spots  or 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


107 


blotches,  which  will  spoil  the  appearance  of  the 
work.  One  difference  between  this  and  the  small 
French  is  that  there  is  no  oil  used  in  any  of  the 
colours. 

Another  method  is  to  use  a  mixture  of  weak  gall 
and  water  instead  of  the  white  colour,  and  which 
must  be  firmly  knocked  or  beaten  on,  proportioned 
by  the  judgment  of  the  marbler.  This  method  is 
preferable  to  the  former  for  edges,  and  will  answer 
quite  as  well  for  paper. 

NO.  8. — SMALL  GREEN  ITALIAN. 

A  very  neat  pattern,  may  be  made  of  one  colour 
only,  which  must  be  mixed  with  gall  and  water 
sufficiently  strong  to  cover  the  whole  surface  of  the 
solution  on  the  trough;  after  which,  beat  on  the 
white,  or  gall  and  water,  as  before.  The  same  size, 
or  preparation  of  gum  and  flea-seed,  will  do  for  this 
as  for  the  previous  marbles ;  it  must,  however,  be 
kept  clean,  to  make  the  work  look  nice  and  bright. 

NO.  9. — WEST  END,  (BROWN,  WITH  LIGHT  SPOT.) 

This  pattern  consists  of  two  prominent  colours 
besides  the  veins ;  one  of  these  is  dark  and  dotted 
all  over  with  small  white  spots ;  the  other,  which  is 
the  last  or  top  colour,  is  light,  and  is  made  by  taking 


108 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


a  portion  of  the  darker  colour  and  mixing  a  quantity 
of  white  with  it,  sufficient  to  bring  it  to  the  desired 
tint.  Mix  the  colours  for  veins  in  the  ordinary  way, 
viz. :  with  the  usual  proportions  of  gall  and  water ; 
then  mix  the  brown  with  a  larger  proportion  of  gall, 
and  sprinkle  it  on  as  full  as  to  drive  the  other  colours 
into  veins ;  then  take  the  white,  or  gall  and  water, 
as  in  Italian,  and  beat  it  finely  and  equally  all  over, 
but  not  so  much  as  for  the  Italian  pattern.  Lastly, 
take  the  light  or  top  colour,  which  will  require  to  be 
stronger  in  gall  than  any  of  the  others,  and  must  be 
sprinkled  lightly  and  evenly  over  the  whole ;  lay  on 
the  paper  as  quickly  as  possible. 

This  pattern  is  known  by  the  name  of  West  End, 
and  is  in  every  respect  similar  to  the  Spanish  in  the 
working,  only  it  is  not  shaded. 

NO.  10. — WEST  END,  (GREEN,  WITH  LIGHT  SPOT.) 

An  excellent  pattern  may  be  made  similar  to 
No.  9  in  all  the  details  of  mixing,  working,  and  put- 
ting on  the  colours,  the  only  difference  being  in  the 
colours,  wThich  may  be  made  of  two  shades  of  green 
or  olive,  and  the  veins  red,  yellow,  and  blue. 


• 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


109 


NO.  11. — CURL. 

The  pattern  called  French  Curl,  after  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  French  marble  (see  No.  1)  will  not  require 
much  explanation,  the  only  difference  in  the  working 
being,  that  there  must  not  be  any  of  the  preparation 
of  the  flea-seed  with  the  gum ;  but  it  must  be  done 
on  the  solution  of  the  gum  alone,  without  any  ad- 
mixture. It  will  also  require  a  frame  with  as  many 
pegs  as  you  may  require  curls  on  the  paper ;  these 
pegs  must  be  about  three  inches  long,  and  about  the 
thickness  of  a  stout  goose-quill,  tapering  toward  a 
point.  Throw  on  the  colours  the  same  as  for  No.  1 
large  French ;  take  the  frame  of  pegs,  and,  holding 
it  with  both  hands,  put  the  pegs  down  to  the  bottom 
of  the  trough,  give  it  a  slight  rotary  motion,  then 
lift  it  out  quickly,  so  that  no  drops  fall  from  the 
pegs  into  the  trough,  and  lay  on  the  paper  as  usual, 
taking  care  to  lay  it  down  straight  and  even,  or  the 
whole  pattern  will  be  askew. 

NO.  12. — BROWN  CURL. 

A  pattern  of  curl  may  be  made  of  one  colour 
only,  mixed  with  the  same  ingredients  as  the  ordi- 
nary French ;  it  is  the  easiest  of  the  two  to  make. 

10 


110  MANUAL  OF  THE 

NO.  13. — BED  CURL. 

A  curl  pattern  may  be  made  of  the  same  colours 
used  for  nonpareil,  only  the  colours  and  gum  are 
both  used  rather  thicker  than  for  the  French  curl, 
and  the  colours  must  have  no  oil  in  them. 


SPANISH. 


This  marble  is  distinguished  from  all  others  by 
having  a  series  of  light  and  dark  shades  traversing 
the  whole  extent  of  the  sheet  of  paper  in  a  diagonal 
direction.  And,  as  it  is  the  design  of  this  work  to 
simplify  as  much  as  possible,  the  marbler  will  bear 
in  mind  that  all  the  plain  Spanish  patterns  may  be 
worked  and  managed  without  the  aid  of  any  other 
agents  than  ox-gall  and  water,  of  course  presuming 
that  the  colours  are  ground  and  prepared  as  before 
directed. 

No.  14. — OLIVE,  OR  LIGHT  GREEN,  SPANISH. 

One  of  the  most  simple  and  easy  patterns  is  called 
Olive  Spanish,  with  red  and  blue  veins.  The  veins 
are  mixed  with  gall  and  water,  as  in  the  previous 
kinds  of  marbling,  till  they  are  brought  to  the  pro- 
per consistence ;  and,  as  it  is  not  possible  to  state 
any  given  measure  for  proportioning  the  gall  and 


■Jf 


7s* 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


Ill 


water  exactly,  some  gall  being  stronger  than 
other,  that  must  be  determined  by  observing  the 
effect  produced  in  the  colours  as  they  are  tried  on 
the  solution.  But  each  successive  colour  requires 
more  gall  than  the  one  which  preceded  it,  and 
the  principal  or  body-colour  requires  to  be  both 
thicker  in  itself  and  stronger  in  gall  than  any  of 
the  others.  This  rule  is  almost  without  an  excep- 
tion. 

Having,  therefore,  mixed  and  prepared  the 
colours, — having  the  preparation  of  gum  and  flea- 
seed  in  the  trough, — proceed  to  throw  on,  first  the 
red,  then  the  blue,  and  lastly,  with  a  large  brush 
full  of  colour,  the  olive ;  beginning  at  the  left-hand 
corner  of  the  trough,  farthest  from  you,  and  work- 
ing down  and  up  closely  all  over,  taking  care  not  to 
go  twice  over  the  same  place,  or  you  will  produce 
rings  by  the  falling  of  one  spot  upon  another, 
which  is  considered  objectionable.  It  cannot,  how- 
ever, be  entirely  avoided.  Now  take  up  the  paper 
by  the  two  opposite  corners,  andj  holding  it  as 
nearly  upright  as  possible,  yet  with  a  degree  of 
ease  and  looseness  only  to  be  attained  by  practice, 
let  the  corner  in  the  right  hand  gently  touch  the 
colour  on  the  trough,  while,  at  the  same  time,  you 


112 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


shake  or  move  it  to  and  fro  by  a  regular  motion,  at 
the  same  time,  with  the  left  hand,  letting  the  sheet 
regularly  and  gradually  descend  till  it  lies  flat  upon 
the  surface  of  the  solution.  Practice  will  be  re- 
quired before  the  stripes  or  shades  will  be  produced 
with  certainty  and  regularity.  We  will  next  take 
a  pattern  with  three  veins. 

No.  15. — BLUE  OK  SLATE  SPANISH. 

This  is  performed  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  one 
just  described.  First,  throw  on  red,  next  yellow, 
thirdly  Blue,  and  lastly  the  slate,  or  body-colour, 
which  is  composed  of  indigo,  Chinese  blue,  and  a 
portion  of  white.  We  now  advance  a  step  further 
and  take  up  a  pattern  with  four  veins. 

NO.  16. — BROWN  SPANISH. 

This  is  a  well-known  pattern.  Perhaps  as  much 
or  more  of  it  has  been  made  than  of  any  other, 
and  it  always  will  be  a  standing  pattern.  Proceed 
in  the  same  manner  as  before,  throwing  on  first, 
the  red;  then  yellow;  thirdly,  blue;  fourthly, 
black ;  and  lastly,  the  brown,  which  should  be  com- 
posed of  good  burnt  ochre,  darkened  with  a  little 
black. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


113 


NO.  17. — DOUBLE  BROWN  SPANISH. 

This  pattern  has  four  colours  for  veins  and  two 
body-colours,  the  last  or  top  colour  being  a  dilution 
of  the  other  with  white.  The  veins  are  thrown  on  in 
the  following  order  : — first,  red ;  then  black  ;  next 
yellow,  (some  work  the  yellow  before  the  black ;) 
fourthly,  green ;  then  the  brown,  which  must  not  be 
quite  so  powerful  or  put  on  quite  so  heavy  as  for 
brown  Spanish,  and  on  this  sprinkle  the  light  or  top 
colour,  which  requires  to  be  stronger  in  gall  than 
the  others. 

NO.  18. — FANCY  SPANISH. 

The  pattern  so  designated  has  something  of  the 
appearance  of  a  Spanish  being  worked  over  an 
Italian.  It  requires  seven  colours  and  brushes  to 
execute  this  pattern,  although  it  may  be  made  of 
less.  Commence,  as  usual,  with  red  first;  then 
black;  thirdly,  yellow;  fourthly,  blue;  fifthly, 
green.  These  being  all  thrown  or  sprinkled  on, 
next  throw  on  the  white,  by  using  the  iron  rod,  as 
for  "West  End  or  Italian,  and  beat  or  knock  it 
on  very  firmly  all  over  these  colours,  but  not  so 
much  as  you  would  do  for  Italian ;  and  lastly,  the 

principal  or  body-colour,  —  say  dark  olive-green. 

10* 


114 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Shade  it  by  shaking  or  waving  the  paper  in  the 
same  way  as  for  other  Spanish. 

NO.  19. — FANCY  SPANISH. 

Another  compound  or  fancy  Spanish  pattern  is 
made  by  introducing  a  small  French  pattern  instead 
of  veins.  In  doing  this,  be  careful  not  to  have  so 
much  gall  or  oil  in  the  colours  as  though  you  were 
going  to  make  French  only,  and  the  top  or  body- 
colour  will  require  more  gall  than  any  of  the  plain 
patterns  in  order  to  make  it  work  over  the  French 
colour. 

Beautiful  effects  may  be  produced  by  folding  the 
paper  in  squares  or  bending  the  sheets  in  various 
parts  before  shading,  some  of  which  cause  the 
shades  to  assume  an  undulating  appearance,  as 
though  it  had  been  watered  like  silk. 

NO.  20. — DRAG  OR  EXTRA  SPANISH. 

To  do  which  you  must  have  a  trough  twice  the 
length  of  the  sheet  of  paper ;  as,  in  order  to  produce 
the  elongated  form  of  spots,  you  will  have  to  drag 
or  push  it  from  one  end  of  the  trough  to  the  other 
in  the  course  of  laying  down  the  sheet  of  paper. 
The  colours  and  preparation  are  the  same  for  this 
as  for  the  other  Spanish,  only  the  colours  are  used 


M 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


115 


considerably  thinner,  as  they  would  get  so  thick 
upon  the  paper,  from  one  sheet  being  drawn  over 
and  taking  up  a  surface  of  colour  usually  allowed 
for  two,  that  it  would  peel  and  crumble  off  and  not 
burnish. 

NO.  21. — NONPAREIL  OR  COMB. 

We  now  come  to  this  well-known  and  very  popu- 
lar pattern,  which  has  had  a  most  extraordinary 
run,  and  which  some  people  hardly  seem  tired  of, 
although  it  has  become  so  common  of  late  as  to  be 
used  on  almost  every  kind  of  work. 

For  this  description  of  marbling  use  the  solution 
of  gum  alone  in  the  trough.  Mix  the  colours 
with  gall  and  water,  taking  particular  care  to  avoid 
all  oil  and  grease  of  every  description;  but  the 
colours  will  require  to  be  thicker,  and  more  colour 
thrown  on,  than  for  Spanish,  with  the  exception  of 
the  last,  which  will  not  require  to  be  so  heavily 
thrown  on  as  the  last  Spanish  colour.  Let  all  the 
colours  be  thrown  on  in  about  equal  proportions. 
In  commencing,  proceed  as  usual : — first,  skim  the 
surface  of  the  solution,  and  immediately  follow  with 
the  red  so  as  to  well  cover  the  whole  surface  of  the 
solution ;  then  black ;  next,  orange  or  yellow ; 
fourthly,  blue ;  and,  lastly,  the  top  colour,  of  what- 


116 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


ever  shade  it  may  be  required.  Now  take  the  peg- 
rake,  which  must  be  as  long  as  the  trough  from 
right  to  left,  and  which  consists  of  a  piece  of  wood 
having  pegs  inserted  about  an  inch  and  a  half  apart 
and  about  three  inches  long,  tapering  towards  the 
point,  and  having  the  appearance  of  the  head  of  a 
rake.  Pass  this  once  up  and  down  through  the 
colour  from  front  to  back,  taking  especial  care  that 
when  you  draw  it  back  the  teeth  come  exactly 
between  where  they  went  up.  Having  raked  the 
colour  into  the  proper  form,  take  the  comb,  which 
must  reach  the  whole  width  of  the  trough  from 
front  to  back,  and  draw  it  steadily  through  the 
colour,  and  the  pattern  is  ready  for  the  laying  on 
of  the  paper,  which  must  be  done  with  a  steady 
hand,  or  there  will  be  shades  in  it. 

NO.  22. — RAKED  NONPAREIL. 

A  very  good  pattern  is  made  by  following  the 
directions  for  No.  21  until  the  colours  are  properly 
raked,  then  beat  a  little  white  evenly  over  it,  and 
it  is  ready  for  the  paper. 

NO.  23. — NONPAREIL,  (REVERSED.) 

Another  pattern  is  made  by  precisely  the  same 
process  as  No.  21,  till  the  colours  have  been  raked 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


117 


with  the  peg ;  then  take  the  comb,  which  should  be 
a  much  larger  one,  and  draw  it  through  the  colour 
from  left  to  right,  then  immediately  reverse  it 
and  draw  it  back  again  from  right  to  left,  and  the 
desired  effect  will  be  produced. 

No.  24. — ANTIQUE. 

The  antique  marble  is  executed  thus :  after  the 
three  first  colours  have  been  thrown  on,  namely, 
red,  black,  and  yellow,  rake  it  once  up  and  down 
with  the  peg-rake,  after  which  proceed  to  throw  on 
the  green,  follow  with  the  pink  spot,  and  lastly, 
beat  or  knock  on  small  white  spots.  Some  antique 
patterns  are  made  with  a  blue  or  other  coloured 
spot,  in  lieu  of  the  pink  here  described,  but  the 
process  is  the  same. 

NO.  25. — ANTIQUE,  (ZEBRA.) 

This  is  done  with  colours  prepared  the  same  as 
for  ordinary  nonpareil ;  throw  on  four  colours,  viz. : 
red,  black,  yellow,  and  blue ;  then  rake  the  same 
as  for  nonpareil,  after  which  throw  on  a  light 
colour  for  a  spot ;  lay  on  the  paper  the  same  as  for 
Spanish.  Sometimes  it  is  made  without  shading, 
and  passes  for  another  pattern. 


J 


118  MANUAL  OF  THE 

No.  26. — WAVE. 

In  this  pattern  the  colours  are  drawn  into  an 
undulating  form,  the  points  of  each  row  meeting 
each  other.  The  colours  are  prepared  the  same  as 
for  nonpareil.  The  red,  yellow,  blue,  and  green 
are  thrown  on,  over  which  is  beaten  or  knocked  a 
small  white,  but  not  too  abundantly ;  there  is  now 
required  a  kind  of  double  rake  or  frame,  with  teeth 
of  stout  wire  about  three  or  four  inches  apart,  and 
let  the  teeth  of  the  hinder  one  be  so  adjusted  as  to 
be  exactly  in  the  centre  of  the  spaces  left  open  by 
the  first  one;  the  second  or  hindmost  row  of  teeth 
should  be  an  inch  and  a  half  behind  the  former, 
the  two  forming  but  one  instrument.  Draw  this 
through  the  colour  similar  to  a  comb,  from  left  to 
right,  but  with  an  undulating  or  see-saw  motion, 
just  sufficient  to  make  the  top  of  the  hindermost 
wave  catch  or  touch  the  bottom  of  the  foremost 
one,  by  which  means  it  will  produce  a  uniform 
appearance  all  over  the  sheet,  something  in  the 
appearance  of  irregular  squares. 

There  are  some  other  patterns  of  a  similar  kind 
made  without  a  small  white  spot,  and  the  same 
design  is  sometimes  worked  upon  a  French  marble, 
but  these  require  no  additional  explanation.  We  now 
come  to 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  119 
NO.  27. — BRITISH. 

The  pattern  so  called  is  by  no  means  easy  to 
execute,  as  it  requires  a  considerable  amount  of 
judgment  to  maintain  any  thing  like  uniformity. 
Some  British  patterns  are  made  with  and  some 
without  veins.  They  require  a  trough  double  the 
length  of  the  paper,  as  it  is  dragged  or  pushed  from 
one  end  of  the  trough  to  the  other  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  drag  Spanish,  (No.  20;)  and  the 
size  or  preparation  must  be  the  same  as  for  that 
kind  of  work.  A  good  pattern  may  be  made  of  one 
colour, — viz. :  black.  The  colour  for  this  description 
of  marbling  will  be  all  the  better  for  being  mixed 
and  well  stirred  about  a  few  days  before  using,  so 
as  to  become  mellow  for  working.  Two  jars  or 
pots,  and  a  large  common  plate,  will  be  required. 
Mix  the  colour  in  one  of  the  jars,  as  if  for  ordinary 
Spanish,  but  not  with  quite  so  much  gall ;  then  pour 
a  little  of  it  into  the  other  jar,  and  add  to  it  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  gall  and  water,  so  as  to  make 
it  very  thin  and  strong;  now  pour  a  small  quantity 
of  the  strong  colour  (about  a  teaspoonful)  on  the 
plate,  and,  taking  the  brush  out  of  the  thicker 
colour  and  pressing  it  hard  on  the  plate,  take  up 
with  it  a  portion  of  the  strong  colour,  and  proceed 
to  sprinkle  it  on  quickly  all  over  the  trough.  The 


120 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


dark  and  light  spots  will  fall  together,  interming- 
ling with  each  other  and  producing  that  varie- 
gated effect  which  is  characteristic  of  the  pattern. 
Lay  on  the  paper  the  same  as  for  drag  Spanish. 
Brown,  green,  and  other  colours,  are  done  in  the 
same  manner;  but  the  colours  require  to  be  mellow 
and  the  paper  soft-sized,  or  they  are  apt  to  run  off. 

No.  28. — DUTCH. 

The  pattern  now  under  consideration  is  one  of 
the  oldest  and  at  the  same  time  most  difficult  pat- 
terns, and  is  performed  by  a  very  different  process 
to  any  of  the  preceding.  Upon  examining  this  pat- 
tern, it  will  be  perceived  that  the  colours  are  not 
scattered  here  and  there  in  an  indiscriminate 
manner,  but  follow  each  other,  in  a  kind  of  regular 
succession,  in  a  diagonal  direction  across  the  sheet, 
red  being  the  preponderating  colour.  In  order  to 
make  this  well,  the  colours  must  be  particularly  well 
ground,  and  of  the  first  quality.  They  ought  to  be 
mixed  a  few  days  before  using.  It  will  be  useless  to 
expect  a  satisfactory  result  with  either  inferior  or 
badly-prepared  materials. 

In  order  to  accomplish  this  pattern,  there  will  be 
required  a  number  of  little  tins  or  pots,  an  inch  and  a 
half  wide  and  about  the  same,  or  two  inches,  in  depth. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


121 


It  will  also  require  two  frames  the  size  of  the  paper, 
with  wooden  pegs  in  them,  slightly  tapering,  about 
a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  fixed  about 
three  inches  apart,  at  regular  distances,  over  the 
whole  extent  of  the  space  required.  The  colours  will 
be  all  the  better  for  this  class  of  work  by  the  ad- 
dition of  a  little  spirits  of  wine.  With  this  exception, 
the  colours  will  not  require  any  different  treat- 
ment from  the  nonpareil. 

Mix  each  of  the  colours  in  a  large  jug,  having  a 
spout,  so  that  you  may  be  able  to  pour  them  out  into 
the  small  tins  before  mentioned.  The  colours 
required  will  be  red,  yellow,  green,  blue,  and 
white.  The  two  frames  of  pegs  must  be  made 
exactly  alike.  One  ought  to  be  an  exact  duplicate  of 
the  other. 

Having  mixed  the  colours,  and  tried  them  by 
dropping  a  little  of  each  on  the  solution  in  the  trough, 
proceed  to  fill  as  many  of  the  little  pots  with  colour  as 
there  are  pegs  on  the  frame,  and  arrange  them  about 
three  inches  apart,  so  that  the  pegs  in  the  frames 
may  drop  into  the  centre  of  each  pot,  and,  when  lifted 
out,  (which  will  require  to  be  done  with  great  cau- 
tion,) will  convey  one  large  drop  of  colour  on  each 
peg,  with  which  the  surface  of  the  size  is  to  be 

gently  and  evenly  touched,  taking  care  not  to  put 

ll 


122 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


them  in  too  deep,  but  at  the  same  time  being  quite 
sure  they  all  do  touch  the  size.  The  tins  or  pots  of 
colour  must  be  arranged  as  in  the  following  diagram, 
about  three  inches  apart : — 

G  Y  G  Y  G  Y  G 

Y  B  Y  B  Y  B  Y 
G  Y  G  Y  G  Y  G 

Y  B  Y  B  Y  B  Y 
G  Y  G  Y  G  Y  G 

G  standing  for  green,  Y  for  yellow,  and  B  for 
blue.  Then  fill  the  same  number  of  tins  or  pots 
with  white,  which  must  be  composed  of  pipe-clay 
ground  and  prepared  as  the  other  colours,  and 
arrange  them  in  precisely  the  same  manner,  using 
the  second  or  duplicate  frame  of  pegs  to  these. 

Having  arranged  all  these,  commence  operations 
by  first  skimming  the  size,  (which  must  consist  of 
gum-tragacanth  alone,)  and  then  well  cover  the 
whole  surface  with  red,  which  must  be  thrown  on 
plentifully  with  a  brush.  Then  carefully  lift  the 
first  frame  standing  in  the  pots  of  the  three  colours, 
giving  it  a  slight  rotary  motion,  so  as  to  stir  the 
colours,  which  soon  settle,  being  careful  not  to 
upset  them.  Let  one  drop  from  each  peg  touch 
the  surface  of  the  red  upon  the  size,  then  quickly 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


123 


take  the  one  with  the  white  and  drop  that  just  in 
the  centre  of  the  spots  already  placed  on  the 
trough ;  next  take  a  rounded  piece  of  tapering 
wood,  (a  brush  handle  is  as  good  a  thing  as  any,) 
and  pass  it  up  and  down  through  the  colours  as 
they  are  now  disposed  in  the  trough,  from  front 
to  back,  at  regular  distances,  till  the  whole  extent 
of  the  trough  has  been  gone  over ;  then  pass  the 
comb  through  it  from  left  to  right,  and  lay  on  the 
paper. 

As  soon  as  you  have  hung  it  up,  pour  over  it, 
from  a  jug  with  a  spout,  about  a  pint  of  clear 
water,  to  wash  off  the  loose  colour  and  gum  and 
make  it  look  clean  and  bright,  after  which,  when 
dry,  it  will  require  sizing  before  it  can  be  bur- 
nished. 

When  curls  are  required,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
have  a  third  frame,  with  as  many  pegs  as  you  may 
require  curls  upon  the  sheet  of  paper. 

NO.  29. — ANTIQUE  DUTCH 

Is  done  in  a  different  manner  to  any  of  the  pro- 
cesses hitherto  described.  The  colours  used  for 
this  kind  of  work  must  be  of  first-rate  quality, 
and  must  be  ground  with  spirits  of  wine  or  extra 
strong  gin,  and  mixed  up  with  the  same  and  a  little 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


gall,  just  sufficient  to  make  them  float  and  spread 
to  the  extent  required.  Instead  of  brushes,  have 
a  tapering  piece  of  wood,  about  the  thickness  of  a 
little  finger,  in  each  pot  of  colour,  (small  pots  will 
do,  capable  of  holding  about  a  tea-cup  full.)  The 
colours  required  are  red,  orange,  blue,  and  green. 
The  red  must  be  the  best  scarlet  lake;  the  orange, 
orange  lead;  the  blue,  ultramarine  and  indigo;  and 
the  green,  indigo  and  Dutch  pink.  These  must  be 
ground  and  mixed,  as  before  directed,  to  the  con- 
sistence of  cream.  The  lake  should  be  ground  one 
day  and  the  other  colours  a  few  days  before  using, 
and  kept  moist.  The  gum  will  require  to  be  used 
thicker  for  this  work  than  for  any  other.  Having 
every  thing  in  readiness,  take  a  pot  of  colour  in  the 
left  hand,  and  with  the  right  proceed  to  lay  on  the 
colour  with  a  piece  of  wood  or  with  a  quill,  in 
sloping  stripes,  like  those  made  by  a  school-boy  in 
learning  to  write.  Commence  with  the  reel  and  make 
two  strokes  almost  together,  leaving  a  small  open 
space,  and  then  making  two  more,  and  so  on,  until 
the  required  extent  has  been  gone  over.  Next 
take  the  orange,  and  make  one  stripe  between  the 
two  stripes  of  red;  then  proceed  to  fill  up  the  wider 
space  with  a  stripe  of  green  and  a  stripe  of  blue. 
Perhaps  the  following  may  more  clearly  illustrate 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING, 


125 


the  order  in  which  the  colours  should  be  arranged 
on  the  trough  : — 

GBRORGBRORGBRORGB 

As  in  the  former  instance,  the  initial  letters 
signify  the  colours.  Draw  the  comb  through  and 
the  pattern  is  complete. 

EDGES. 

The  patterns  for  edges  are  produced  in  the  same 
manner  as  those  for  paper;  and  having  already 
devoted  so  much  space  to  this  beautiful  art, 
hitherto  confined  to  a  few,  it  would  be  useless  to 
repeat  the  processes.  Yet  there  are  some  things  in 
regard  to  edges  which  every  good  marbler  should 
understand.  When  plates  are  interspersed  in  any 
book  along  with  the  letter-press,  it  will  require  par- 
ticular care  in  marbling,  or  the  colour  and  size  will 
run  in  and  spoil  the  appearance  of  the  plates.  To 
obviate  this,  keep  the  book  tightly  compressed,  and 
where  the  plates  are  at  the  beginning  of  the  book 
only,  lay  it  down,  when  marbled,  the  beginning  side- 
upwards.  For  edges  you  may  do  with  a  smaller 
trough,  also  a  smaller  quantity  of  colour  than  for 
paper.  The  solution  to  work  upon  had  better  be 
gum-tragacanth  alone.    Colours  for  edges  will  look 

all  the  brighter  by  the  addition  of  alcohol,  spirits 

11* 


126  MANUAL  OF  THE 

of  wine,  or  whiskey ;  but  they  will  evaporate  more 
quickly.  Having  every  thing  in  readiness,  take  the 
book,  or,  if  more  than  one,  as  many  as  you  can  con- 
veniently manage  to  hold  tightly,  with  the  backs 
in  the  right  hand  and  the  fore-edge  in  the  left,  and 
let  them  touch  the  colour,  the  back  first,  allow- 
ing them  gradually  to  descend  till  the  whole  end  is 
covered ;  but  be  very  careful  that  none  of  the  size 
or  colour  comes  over  the  fore-edge,  which  it  will  do 
if  dipped  too  deep,  and  leave  a  nasty  unsightly 
mark,  and  greatly  disfigure  the  book.  In  doing 
the  fore-edge,  the  beginner  had  better  place  the 
volume  between  a  pair  of  cutting-boards,  and,  hav- 
ing thrown  out  the  round,  turn  back  the  boards, 
and  proceed  as  with  the  end;  when  done,  wipe  off 
the  superfluous  size  from  the  boards  wTith  a  sponge, 
put  the  boards  back  in  their  place,  and  let  the 
volume  dry. 

GLAZING  OR  BURNISHING. 

The  sheets  of  paper  are  burnished  by  a  machine 
constructed  for  the  purpose.  A  smoothly-faced 
flint  is  fixed  in  a  block  of  wood,  in  which  is  inserted 
one  end  of  a  pole  about  five  feet  in  length,  the 
other  end  being  attached  to  and  working  in  a 
cavity  in  a  spring-board  fixed  overhead,  allowing 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


127 


it  to  work  backwards  and  forwards  upon  a  plank 
hollowed  out  for  the  purpose.  The  paper  is  moved 
over  the  plank,  and  the  friction  of  the  flint  in  pass- 
ing to  and  fro  over  the  surface  of  the  paper  pro- 
duces a  high  polish.  Sometimes  the  paper  is 
calendered  by  means  of  friction  cylinders — a  su- 
perior method. 

COMBS. 

These  are  made  in  various  ways,  some  to  be 
worked  on  the  top  of  the  trough  and  called  top- 
combs,  others  to  be  worked  by  putting  the  points 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  trough  and  called  bottom- 
combs.  The  best  thing  for  making  them  is  of  brass 
pin-wire.  The  comb  for  small  nonpareil  ought  to 
have  from  twelve  to  fourteen  teeth  to  the  inch,  for 
the  second  size  eight,  and  for  large,  four. 

SIZING  THE  PAPER. 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  size  the  paper  after 
marbling.  The  way  of  making  the  size  is  as 
follows: — Take  of  the  best  white  soap  two  pounds, 
put  it  in  a  large  copper  with  about  twenty  gallons  of 
water ;  when  it  is  quite  dissolved,  add  thereto  about 
four  pounds  of  the  best  glue,  keeping  the  whole  con- 
stantly stirred,  to  prevent  the  soap  and  glue  from 


128 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


burning ;  when  both  are  quite  dissolved,  strain  it  into 
a  tub,  and  when  cool,  it  is  ready  for  use.  Should  it 
be  found  too  thick,  add  more  hot  water.  The  best 
way  of  sizing  is  to  fill  a  trough  with  the  liquor 
and  to  lay  the  marbled  surface  of  the  paper  down 
upon  it,  then  hang  it  on  the  sticks  to  dry. 

PATENT  MARBLED  CLOTH. 

This  is  an  article  recently  introduced,  and  in  some 
quarters  meets  w7ith  considerable  favour.  There  are 
as  yet  no  manufactories  of  it  in  this  country.  It, 
however,  possesses  no  advantages  over  good  marbled 
paper,  and  for  outsides  will  not  compare  with  the 
papier  D'Anonay  for  durability. 

ADDENDA. 

In  taking  leave  of  the  subject  of  marbling,  there 
is  but  little  more  to  add.  For,  w7hen  the  learner  is 
master  of  all  this  book  teaches,  he  will  have 
attained  such  proficiency  in  the  art  as  to  require 
nothing  further  in  the  way  of  instruction.  Should 
some  new  pattern  come  up,  let  him  apply  the  princi- 
ples that  govern  in  mixing  and  distributing  the 
colours,  and,  with  the  aid  of  his  own  experience,  his 
chance  of  accomplishing  it  will  be  as  good  as  any 
one  else's.    As  a  step  to  the  attainment  of  mastery 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


129 


in  the  art,  let  the  workman  divest  himself  of  the 
various  nostrums  he  has  been  put  in  possession  of 
by  interested  parties,  and  give  himself  up  with 
assiduity  to  the  directions  here  laid  down.  What  is 
here  given  is  the  result  of  twenty- five  years'  actual 
experience  of  C.  W.  Woolnough,  of  London,  whose 
marbles  rank  among  the  most  beautiful  productions 
of  the  present  day.  Therefore  let  the  workman 
adhere  to  the  instructions,  and  ultimate  success  will 
crown  his  efforts.  Should  there  be  any  difficulty  in 
obtaining  any  of  the  articles  described,  they  may 
be  procured  from  Mr.  Charles  Williams,  No.  213 
Arch  St.,  Philadelphia.  The  specimens  of  marbled 
paper  accompanying  these  pages,  illustrate  the  promi- 
nent classes  or  patterns  of  marbling.  They  were 
executed  by  him,  and  show  his  mastery  of  the  art, 

BURNISHING. 

The  edges  are  burnished  by  placing  the  volume 
open,  with  theibre-edge  between  boards,  similar  to 
backing-boards,  in  the  laying-press,  and  screwing  it 
tightly  therein;  then  with  the  burnisher  rubbing 
the  edge  firmly  and  smartly  over  till  it  presents  a 
uniformly  bright  surface,  and  free  from  any  dents 
or  inequalities.  When  the  fore-edge  is  finished,  the 
volume  must  be  taken  out  of  the  press,  and  the 


130  MANUAL  OF  THE 

head  and  tail  burnished  in  a  similar  manner,  the 
ends  of  the  boards  resting  in  the  groove  by  the 
joints,  the  covered  boards  of  the  volume  being 
open.  Common  calf,  sheep,  and  half-binding,  may- 
be burnished  with  the  boards  closed,  six  or  eight 
together,  but  it  will  be  necessary  to  delay  pasting 
the  sides  on  the  latter  till  after  the  operation,  to 
avoid  the  liability  of  tearing. 

GILT  EDGES. 

This  description  of  edge  is  the  best  preservative 
against  external  injury  and  damp.  Previous  to 
laying  on  the  gold,  the  workman  must  have  in 
readiness  the  articles  necessary  to  form  the  ground- 
work and  cause  the  gold  to  adhere  to  the  edge. 
The  first  is  a  mixture  of  red  bole  or  chalk  and  black 
lead,  well-ground  and  reduced  by  water  to  a  fluid 
consistence,  after  having  added  to  it  a  few  drops 
of  muriatic  acid  or  vitriol.  The  size  used  by  some 
is  made  from  the  white  of  an  egg  in  five  times  the 
quantity  of  water  well  beaten  together;  but  that 
most  generally  used  is  made  from  parchment  or 
vellum  shavings  boiled  in  water  to  extract  the 
gluten.  It  is  then  passed  through  a  piece  of  fine 
muslin  and  set  aside  to  cool.  When  cold  it  is  very 
easy  to  judge  of  its  strength    Some  use  ice  in  sum 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


131 


mer-time  to  chill  it,  as  a  test  of  its  strength.  If 
too  strong  or  thick,  add  water,  then  warm  it  to  melt 
the  size  and  allow  the  water  to  become  incorporated 
with  it.  To  become  a  good  gilder  requires  con- 
siderable judgment,  as  every  variety  of  paper  re- 
quires a  different  treatment.  No  rule  can  be  laid 
down  that  will  answer  in  every  case;  but  if  the 
workman  will  but  pay  attention  to  the  directions 
here  given,  exercise  patience,  and  above  all  reflect 
upon  the  effects  of  his  operations,  ultimate  success 
will  be  certain.  English  books  are  made  from  linen 
rags,  and  the  paper  is  sized.  They  gild  more  easily 
and  the  edge  looks  better  than  American  books. 
They  do  not  require  as  strong  a  size  for  gilding  as 
books  printed  on  paper  made  from  cotton.  Books 
printed  in  this  country  are  generally  made  from 
cotton  rags.  Quantities  of  alum  and  lime  are  em- 
ployed in  bleaching  the  pulp,  to  the  sore  annoyance 
of  many  a  gilder,  who  has  found  that  a  damp  day 
would  invariably  put  both  his  skill  and  patience  to 
the  test.  The  best  qualities  of  American  paper  are 
sized;  the  generality,  however,  is  not.  To  deter- 
mine whether  the  paper  is  sized  or  not,  apply  the  tip 
of  the  tongue  to  it ;  if  it  adhere  to  the  tongue,  it  is  not 
sized,  and  will  consequently  require  a  stronger  size 
for  gilding  than  if  it  were  sized  paper.    The  liability 


132 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  parchment  size  to  decompose  or  turn  to  water  in 
hot  weather  can  be  entirely  counteracted  by  adding 
a  very  small  portion  of  oxalic  acid.  Having  every 
1  thing  in  readiness,  put  the  book  in  the  laying-press, 
between  the  gilding-boards,  placed  even  with  the 
fore-edge  of  the  book  and  with  the  cheeks  of  the 
press;  screw  up  as  tightly  as  possible  with  the 
press-pin. 

Then  commences  the  most  difficult  operation,  and 
one  upon  which  the  beauty  of  the  edge  almost 
entirely  depends — namely,  that  of  scraping.  This 
is  done  with  a  steel  scraper.  A  piece  of  saw-blade 
answers  the  purpose  very  well.  After  being  ground 
square  on  the  edge  and  rubbed  perfectly  smooth 
upon  the  oil-stone,  it  is  kept  in  order  by  a  smooth 
steel.  The  edge  must  be  scraped  perfectly  smooth, 
so  as  not  to  show  the  marks  of  the  knife  in  cutting, 
or  of  the  scraper.  After  this  is  done,  it  must 
be  coloured  lightly  over  with  the  bole  or  chalk, 
rubbed  immediately  dry  with  fine  clean  paper 
shavings.  This  process  will  have  to  be  repeated 
three  times ;  it  is  then  well  burnished  with  the 
agate,  and,  with  a  broad,  flat  camel's-hair  pencil,  or 
piece  of  soft  sponge,  a  coat  of  size  laid  evenly 
on  the  surface. 

The  gold  is  next  cut  on  the  gold-cushion  to  the 


ART   OF  BOOKBINDING. 


133 


size  required.  A  slip  of  paper  larger  than  the  edge 
is  drawn  over  the  head  of  the  workman,  and  by  a 
light  pressure  upon  the  cushion  the  gold  will  attach 
itself  to  the  paper;  it  is  then  turned,  with  the  gold 
upwards,  (care  being  taken  to  have  sufficient  upon 
the  paper  to  cover  the  entire  edge,)  and  laid  upon 
the  cheek  of  the  press ;  then  pass  a  flat  camei's- 
hair  pencil,  dipped  in  clean  water,  evenly  over 
the  edge,  and  immediately  lay  on  the  gold  by 
taking  up  the  paper,  turning  the  gold  towards 
the  edge,  and  presenting  it  with  sufficient  celerity 
not  to  allow  the  gold  to  be  drawn  from  the  paper 
in  portions  by  the  size.  To  do  this  well  will 
require  some  practice  and  a  steady  hand.  Should 
there  be  any  breaks  in  the  gold,  other  por- 
tions must  be  applied,  and,  if  dry,  moisten  with 
water  applied  by  a  fine  pencil,  and  lay  on  the 
gold. 

After  the  edge  is  entirely  dry,  which  generally 

happens  in  from  one  to  two  hours,  it  must  be 

burnished.     For  this  purpose  a  flat  blood-stone 

burnisher  is  the  best,  to  be  afterwards  followed 

by  a  flat  agate.    Let  there  be  no  marks  of  the 

burnisher,  but  spare  no  pains  in  burnishing  to 

have  the  edge  perfectly  uniform  and  clear.  The 

head  and  tail  of  the  volume  must  be  gilt  with 

12 


134  MANUAL  OF  THE 

the  same  precaution,  the  back  towards  the  work- 
man. The  foregoing  directions  have  been  derived 
from  the  practical  experience  of  Mr.  James  Pawson, 
one  of  the  best  gilders  in  this  country. 

Should  the  work  be  of  such  a  nature  that  it  is 
desirable  to  give  it  the  character  of  the  period 
in  which  the  book  was  wrritten,  or  an  additional 
degree  of  beauty  and  elegance,  this  part  of  book- 
ornament  may  be  pursued  farther  in  the  manner  we 
shall  now  describe. 

ANTIQUE  STYLE. 

After  the  edge  is  finished  as  above  directed,  and 
before  taking  out  of  the  press,  ornaments,  such  as 
flowers,  or  designs  in  compartments,  must  be  stamped 
upon  it  in  the  following  manner.  A  coat  of  size  is 
passed  quickly  over  with  great  precaution  and  light- 
ness, and  only  once  in  a  place,  to  avoid  detaching  any 
of  the  gold.  When  dry,  rub  the  edge  as  lightly  as 
possible  with  palm-oil,  and  cover  with  gold  of  a  dif- 
ferent colour  to  the  first;  then  with  the  tools  used  in 
gilding  leather,  warmed  in  the  fire,  proceed  to  form 
the  various  designs  by  firmly  impressing  them  on 
the  edge.  The  gold  that  has  not  been  touched  by 
the  tools  is  then  rubbed  oif  with  a  clean  cotton,  and 
there  remains  only  the  designs  the  tools  have  im- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


135 


printed,  which  produce  a  fine  effect.  This  mode  is, 

however,  now  seldom  used,  though  almost  all  the 

hooks  in  the  original  binding  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury are  so  executed. 

GILDING  UPON  MARBLED  EDGES. 

This  edge,  which  Dr.  Dibdin,  in  his  "  Biblio- 
grapher's Decameron,"  calls  "the  very  luxury,  the 
ne  plus  ultra  of  the  Bibliopegistic  Art,"  is  one  re- 
quiring great  care  and  expertness  in  the  execution. 
The  edges  must  be  scraped  before  marbling.  After 
the  edges  have  been  tastefully  marbled,  and  not 
overcharged  with  colour,  the  book  must  be  put  in 
the  press,  and  well  burnished  as  before  directed. 
The  size  must  then  be  laid  lightly  on,  to  prevent 
unsettling  the  colour  of  the  marble,  by  which  the 
edge  would  be  destroyed,  and  the  gold  immediately 
applied  and  finished  off  as  in  other  edges.  When 
dry  the  marble  is  perceived  through  the  gold,  and 
presents  an  appearance  of  great  beauty. 

GILDING  ON  LANDSCAPES,  ETC. 

When  the  edge  is  well  scraped  and  burnished, 
the  leaves  on  the  fore-edge  must  be  evenly  bent  in 
an  oblique  manner,  and  in  this  position  confined  by 
boards  tied  tightly  on  each  side,  until  a  subject  is 


136 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


painted  thereon  in  water-colours,  according  to  the 
fancy  of  the  operator.  When  perfectly  dry,  untie 
the  boards  and  let  the  leaves  take  their  proper  posi- 
tion. Then  place  the  volume  in  the  press,  lay  on 
the  size  and  gold,  and,  when  dry,  burnish.  The 
design  will  not  be  apparent  when  the  volume  is 
closed,  from  the  gold  covering  it ;  but  when  the 
leaves  are  drawn  out  it  will  be  perceived  easily,  the 
gilding  disappearing,  and  a  very  unique  effect  will 
be  produced.  The  time  and  labour  required  makes 
this  operation  expensive,  and  it  is  consequently  very 
seldom  performed.  It  is,  however,  considered  ne- 
cessary to  describe  the  proceeding,  as  the  taste  or 
wishes  of  some  may  render  it  necessary  that  the 
workman  should  know  how  to  operate. 

After  the  volume  is  gilt,  the  edges  must  be  en- 
veloped in  clean  paper,  by  glueing  the  extremities 
one  upon  the  other,  to  preserve  the  edges  from  in- 
jury in  the  subsequent  operations.  This  is  taken 
off  when  the  volume  is  completed. 

BLACK  EDGES. 

Books  of  devotion  are  generally  bound  in  black  lea- 
ther, and,  instead  of  being  gilt  on  the  edge,  blacked 
to  correspond  with  the  covers.  It  will  therefore  be 
necessary  in  this  place  to  describe  the  process. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


137 


Put  the  book  in  the  press  as  for  gilding,  and 
sponge  it  with  black  ink  ;  then  take  ivory-black, 
lamp-black,  or  antimony,  mixed  well  with  a  little 
paste,  and  rub  it  on  the  edge  with  the  finger  or  ball 
of  the  hand  till  it  is  perfectly  black  and  a  good 
polish  produced,  when  it  must  be  cleared  with  a 
brush,  burnished,  and  cased  with  paper. 

Coloured  edges,  to  look  well,  require  to  be  scraped 
in  the  same  manner  as  for  gilt.  To  lay  the  colour 
on  evenly,  and  produce  a  high  burnish,  requires 
more  labour  than  gilding.  They  are  therefore  quite 
as  expensive.  After  the  colouring  or  gilding  of  the 
edges,  the  next  process  is  to  attach  the 

REGISTER, 

To  do  which  the  back,  near  the  head,  is  lightly 
touched  with  glue,  and  one  end  of  a  piece  of  ribbon 
proportioned  to  the  volume  is  affixed.  The  leaves 
are  opened,  and  the  other  portion  of  the  ribbon 
placed  between  the  leaves ;  the  portion  intended  to 
hang  out  at  the  bottom  being  turned  back  until  the 
book  is  completed,  to  prevent  its  being  soiled. 

HEADBANDS. 

The  headband  is  an  ornament  in  thread  or  silk, 

of  different  colours,  placed  at  the  head  and  tail  of  a 

12* 


138 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


book  on  the  edge  of  the  back,  and  serves  to  support 
that  part  of  the  cover  projecting  above  in  conse- 
quence of  the  squares  of  the  boards,  giving  to  the 
volume  a  more  finished  appearance.  Thus  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  headband  must  equal  the  square 
allowed  for  the  boards.  For  common  work,  the 
headband  is  made  of  muslin  pasted  upon  twine ; 
but  for  extra  work,  and  volumes  requiring  greater 
durability,  it  is  made  of  thin  board  and  parchment 
pasted  together  and  cut  into  strips  of  the  breadth 
required.  These  flat  headbands  produce  a  much 
better  effect  than  the  round  ones. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  headbands, — viz. :  single 
and  double.  For  ordinary  work,  cloth  pasted  round 
the  band,  or  common  thread,  is  used ;  for  extra,  silk 
and  sometimes  gold  and  silver  thread.  If  the  volume 
is  small,  it  is  placed,  with  the  boards  closed  and 
drawn  down  even  with  the  edge,  between  the  knees; 
or,  if  larger,  placed  at  the  end  of  the  laying-press, 
with  the  fore-edge  projecting  towards  the  body  of 
the  workwoman.  (The  headbands  are  usually  worked 
by  females.) 

SINGLE  HEADBAND. 

Take  two  lengths  of  thread  or  silk,  of  different 
colours,  threading  one  in  a  long  needle,-  and  tying 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


139 


the  ends  of  the  two  together.  Supposing  red  and 
white  to  have  been  taken,  the  white  attached  to  the 
needle,  it  is  placed  in  the  volume  five  or  six  leaves 
from  the  left  side,  and  forced  out  on  the  back  im- 
mediately under  the  chain-stitch  of  the  sewing,  and 
the  thread  drawn  until  it  is  stopped  by  the  knot, 
which  will  be  hid  in  the  sheet ;  the  needle  is  then 
passed  a  second  time  in  or  near  the  same  place,  and, 
after  placing  the  prepared  band  under  the  curl  thus 
made,  the  thread  is  drawn  tight,  so  as  to  hold  it 
firm.  Before  placing  the  band,  it  must  be  bent  with 
the  fingers  to  the  curve  of  the  back  of  the  book. 
The  red  thread  is  now  taken  with  the  right  hand, 
and,  bringing  it  from  the  left  to  the  right,  crossed 
above  the  white  thread,  passed  under  the  band,  and 
brought  round  to  the  front  again  and  fastened  by 
passing  over  it,  in  the  same  way,  the  white  thread, 
taking  care  that  the  bead  formed  by  these  crossings 
touches  the  edge  of  the  volume.  In  repeating  thus 
alternately  the  operation,  crossing  the  two  threads 
and  passing  each  time  under  the  band,  which  is 
thereby  covered,  it  must  be  occasionally  fastened  to 
the  book  by  inserting  the  needle,  as  before  directed, 
once  in  as  many  places  as  the  thickness  of  the  book 
may  require,  and  giving  it  a  double  tack  on  the 
right  side  on  completing  the  band,  fastening  it  on 


140 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  back  with  a  knot.  These  fastenings  give  firm- 
ness to  the  headband  and  the  exact  curve  of  the 
back.  The  two  projecting  sides  of  the  band  must 
be  cut  off  near  the  silk,  giving  the  band  a  slight  in- 
clination upwards,  to  prevent  the  work  slipping  off 
before  covering. 

DOUBLE  HEADBAND. 

This  headband  is  made  of  silk  of  various  colours, 
and  differs  from  the  single,  both  in  being  composed 
of  two  bands,  a  large  and  small  one,  and  in  the 
manner  of  passing  the  silk.  It  is  commenced  in  the 
same  wTay  as  the  single ;  but,  when  the  bands  are 
fastened,  the  smaller  above  the  larger,  the  red  silk 
is  taken  with  the  right  hand  and  passed  above  the 
white,  under  the  bottom  or  larger  band,  brought  out 
under  the  upper  or  small  one,  carried  over  it,  brought 
out  again  over  the  large  band,  and  the  bead  formed, 
as  above  directed,  near  to  the  edge  of  the  book. 
The  white  silk  is  then  passed  in  the  same  way,  and 
so  on  alternately  till  the  whole  is  completed. 

GOLD  AND  SILVER  HEADBAND 

Both  single  and  double  made  as  above,  the  only 
difference  being  in  the  use  of  gold  or  silver  thread. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


141 


Great  care  must  be  here  observed  in  tightening  the 
thread  at  the  bead. 

RIBBON  HEADBAND. 

This  style  varies  but  little  from  the  other,  the 
same-coloured  thread  being  only  passed  several 
times  round,  instead  of  alternately  with  the  other, 
and  making  the  bead  at  each  turn,  taking  care  that 
the  under  thread  is  not  observed,  and  then  passing 
the  other  colour,  in  a  similar  manner,  as  many  or 
more  times  than  the  former.  This  will  produce  a 
band — from  which  it  is  named — having  the  appear- 
ance of  narrow  ribbons  of  various  colours.  Three 
or  more  colours  may  be  used  in  a  pattern. 

COVERING. 

The  skins  prepared  for  binding  are  dressed  in  a 
peculiar  manner.  They  are  soft  and  of  equal  thick- 
ness throughout.  The  cutting  out  of  covers  is  an 
important  operation,  as  by  attention  much  economy 
may  be  effected.  For  this  purpose  patterns  in  paste- 
board of  all  the  sizes  of  books  should  be  made,  and 
such  as  are  required  placed  on  the  skin,  turning 
them  every  way,  so  as  to  obtain  the  greatest  number 
of  pieces  possible,  allowing  about  an  inch  round 
for  paring  and  turning  in.    Should  the  books  be  of 


142 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  same  siza,  a  volume  taken  by  the  fore-edge  and 
the  boards  laying  open  on  the  leather  will  enable 
the  workman  to  judge  to  a  nicety  the  most  advan- 
tageous way  to  cut.  The  narrow  pieces,  &c.  left 
on  the  sides  will  do  for  the  backs  and  corners  of 
half-bound  work.  The  leather  must  be  cut  out  dry, 
except  russia,  which  must  be  well  soaked  with  warm 
water,  care  being  taken  to  avoid  creasing.  It  will 
also  require  to  be  well  rubbed  out  on  a  marble  slab 
with  the  folder.  If  the  russia  is  grained  properly 
in  the  skin,  it  will  not  require  wetting  or  rubbing. 

Each  cover  must  be  pared  round  the  edges  with 
a  long  knife,  called  the  paring-knife ;  and  great 
care  and  skill  are  requisite  in  order  to  do  it  well. 
The  French  binders  use  a  knife  for  this  purpose 
somewhat  similar  to  a  chisel;  and  it  must  be  con- 
fessed that  their  bindings  surpass  in  this  respect 
those  of  any  other  country.  It  is  impossible  to 
determine  the  precise  point  at  which  the  paring 
commences.  The  declension  is  so  gradual  that  it 
cannot  be  perceived.  As  an  illustration  of  this 
fact,  there  is  a  specimen  of  Bauzonnet's  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  connoisseur  of  this  city,  covered  with 
very  thick  Levant  morocco,  with  a  joint  of  the  same 
material,  and  the  interior  of  the  board  lined  with 
morocco,  thus  making  three  different  pieces.  And 


■     ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  143 

the  paring  is  so  exquisitely  done  that,  were  it  not 
for  the  colours,  it  would  be  impossible  to  tell  where 
they  joined.  The  whole  interior  of  the  board  is  as 
level  as  a  piece  of  polished  marble. 

Whatever  may  be  the  substance  or  material  with 
which  a  book  is  covered,  the  manipulations  are  the 
same.    It  is  well  pasted  over  with  the  brush  and 
placed  on  the  volume  in  the  same  way,  care  being 
taken  to  preserve  from  stains  those  that  are  costly 
and  delicate,  particularly  morocco  and  calf.  The 
cover  should  be  placed  on  a  board,  and  the  side  of 
the  skin  which  is  to  be  applied  to  the  volume 
pasted  well  and  evenly  upon  the  surface,  leaving  no 
more  than  what  is  necessary  to  make  it  adhere. 
The  cover  being  then  laid  on  a  table,  or  clean 
milled  board,  the  volume  is  taken  in  the  hands, 
the  squares  at  head  and  tail  equally  adjusted,  and 
placed  upon  the  nearest  side  of  it,  in  such  a  posi- 
tion that  the  back  of  the  volume,  which  is  from  the 
workman,  will  be  in  the  middle.    The  far  part  is 
then  brought  over  to  the  other  side,  and  care  taken 
not  to  disarrange  the  squares.    The  cover,  which 
now  projects  an  inch  all  round  the  volume,  is  drawn 
tightly  on  the  back  with  the  open  hands,  by  turn- 
ing the  projecting  portion  of  the  cover  outward 
and  resting  the  book  on  the  fore-edge,  at  the  same 


144 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


time  working  the  leather  in  such  a  manner  that  it 
will  adhere  closely  to  the  sides  of  the  raised  bands 
as  well  as  to  the  back.  A  square  band,  with  the 
leather  fitting  closely  and  evenly  to  the  back  on 
each  side  of  the  band,  is  a  great  point  to  attain, 
and  any  thing  short  of  it  is  a  blur  upon  the  bind- 
ing. After  the  back  has  been  sufficiently  manipu- 
lated, lay  the  cover  perfectly  smooth  upon  each 
side,  then  open  the  boards  and  lay  one  upon  the 
paring-stone,  and  pass  the  paring-knife  between 
the  board  and  the  cover  diagonally  across  the 
corner  of  the  latter,  in  such  a  manner  that,  when 
the  leather  is  turned  over,  one  edge  will  merely 
fold  over  the  other ;  turn  the  book  and  operate  in  a 
similar  manner  on  the  other  corners. 

The  cover  at  the  head  and  tail  of  the  book  must 
next  be  turned  in,  by  taking  it  by  the  fore-edge 
and  placing  it  upright  on  the  table  with  the  boards 
extended,  and  with  the  hands,  one  on  each  side, 
slightly  forcing  back  the  boards  close  to  the  head- 
band, and  folding  the  cover  over  and  into  the  back 
with  the  thumbs,  drawing  it  in  so  that  no  wrinkle  or 
fold  is  seen.  Having  turned  in  the  cover  the  whole 
length  of  the  boards,  the  volume  must  be  turned 
and  operated  on  at  the  bottom  in  a  similar  manner. 
The  volume  is  then  laid  flat  upon  one  side,  and  the 


AM  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


145 


cover  turned  over  the  fore-edge  of  the  other,  the 
corners  being  set  by  the  aid  of  the  thumb-nail  and 
folder  as  neatly  as  possible  ;  the  same  operation  is 
repeated  upon  the  other  side.  Any  derangement 
of  the  square  of  the  boards  that  may  na  ve  taken 
place  in  covering  must  also  be  rectified. 

The  setting  of  the  headband  is  the  next  opera- 
tion, which  is  very  important  to  the  beauty  of  the 
binding,  by  properly  forming  a  sort  of  cap  over  the 
worked  headband  of  the  leather  projecting  across 
the  back  a  little  above  a  right  line  from  the  square 
of  one  board  to  the  other.  With  a  small  smooth 
folder,  one  end  a  little  pointed,  the  double  fold  of 
the  leather  must  be  rubbed  together  to  make  it 
adhere,  and,  if  the  boards  have  been  cut  at  the 
corners,  the  hand  applied  thereon,  and  finally 
forcing  the  headband  close  to  the  leather,  staying 
it  even  on  the  back  with  the  finger,  and  forming  a 
neat  cap  of  the  projecting  part  on  the  top  of  it. 
The  folder  is  then  applied  on  the  edges  of  the 
boards,  to  give  them  a  square  appearance  and  make 
the  leather  adhere.  One  board  is  then  thrown 
back,  the  folder  placed  lengthwise  along  the  joint 
or  groove,  holding  it  firmly  by  the  right  hand ;  the 
board  is  then  gently  forced  by  the  left  hand  until 
it  projects  slightly  within  or  over  the  joint.  Upon 

18 


146 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


this  depends  the  freedom  and  squareness  of  the 
joint, — one  of  the  most  charming  features  of  a  well- 
bound  book.  After  this  operation  has  been  per- 
formed upon  both  boards,  the  headbands  will  again 
require  attention ;  and,  in  order  to  set  them  firmly, 
pass  a  piece  of  sewing-thread  around  the  book 
between  the  back  and  the  boards,  and,  after  it  is 
tied,  manipulate  the  head  as  before,  so  as  to  make 
it  perfectly  square  and  even  with  the  boards  and 
back.  The  volume  is  rubbed  alongside  of  the 
bands,  and  then  set  aside  until  nearly  dry,  when 
the  thread  is  taken  off  and  the  boards  again  set  in 
the  joint. 

If  the  book  has  been  sewn  on  bands,  or  if  the 
artificial  bands  are  large,  it  is  sometimes  necessary, 
to  make  the  leather  adhere  to  the  back,  that  the 
volume  should  be  tied  up,  which  is  done  by  placing 
a  board,  longer  than  the  book,  on  each  side,  pro- 
jecting slightly  over  the  fore-edge,  and  tying  them 
tightly  with  a  cord  from  end  to  end.  Then,  with  a 
smaller  cord,  the  leather  is  confined  to  the  sides  of 
the  bands,  by  crossing  the  string.  For  example: 
suppose  the  book  had  three  bands,  one  towards  the 
head,  one  towards  the  tail,  and  the  other  in  the  mid- 
dle ;  the  book  would  be  taken  in  the  left  hand,  the 
head  upwards,  the  cord  by  the  help  of  a  noose  passed 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


147 


round  close  to  the  inside  of  the  band  nearest  to  the 
tail  and  drawn  tight,  then  carried  round  again  and 
brought  close  to  the  other  side.  The  string,  tight- 
ened, is  thus  crossed  on  the  other  side  of  the  volume, 
and  the  band  held  between  it.  The  cord  is  in  like 
manner  carried  on  to  the  second  and  third  bands, 
fastened,  and  the  whole  set  square  with  the  folder. 
It  will  be  best  understood  by  the  following  engraving* 


For  morocco,  and  books  in  other  substances, 
having  but  small  bands,  tying  up  is  not  resorted  to, 
being  generally  rubbed  close  in  with  the  folder,  or  a 
box  stick  for  the  purpose.  Antique  work  having 
high,  narrow  bands,  must  have  the  leather  well 
worked  in  between  the  bands  by  the  hands,  and 
then  the  bands  must  be  compressed  by  the  band- 
nippers-  For  morocco,  however,  where  the  beauty 
of  the  grain  is  liable  to  be  destroyed,  great  care 
must  be  taken,  as  the  slightest  mark  or  scratch  is 
indelible. 

A  few  observations  must  not  be  omitted  relative 
to  morocco,  velvet,  silk,  and  coloured  calf,  which, 
from  their  nature,  require  the  greatest  neatness  to 


148 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


avoid  stains  and  alterations  in  the  colours.  Covers 
of  the  former  description  must  not  be  drawn  on  too 
tight  or  rubbed  with  the  folder,  as  the  grain  or  pat- 
tern of  the  material  would  thereby  be  destroyed;  and 
extra  care  must  be  taken  with  the  coloured  calf  to 
prevent  damage.  They  must  be  drawn  on  with  the 
hands  on  each  side  at  the  same  time.  The  table 
should  be  covered  with  a  marble  slab,  and  the  hands 
kept  perfectly  clean.  Silk  should  be  prepared  pre- 
viously, by  pasting  a  piece  of  paper  thereon,  and 
be  left  to  dry,  so  that,  when  pasted  for  covering, 
the  dampness  will  not  affect  its  appearance.  Vel- 
vet will  require  great  care,  from  its  peculiar  tex- 
ture making  it  necessary  that  it  be  rubbed  one 
way  only  in  covering.  From  this  cause,  having 
ascertained  the  direction  of  the  nap,  the  back  of  the 
book  is  glued  and  laid  upon  it  and  drawn  smoothly; 
then  the  sides  are  in  like  manner  glued  over, 
and  afterwards  the  edges  turned  in.  This  pro- 
ceeding causes  the  whole  to  lie  perfectly  smooth, 
which  velvet  would  not  do  if  drawn  in  a  contrary 
way  to  the  grain  or  nap,  or  if  the  glue  was  applied 
to  the  velvet. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


149 


HALF-BINDING. 

Half-binding — so  called  from  the  backs  and  corners 
only  being  covered  with  leather — has  come  so  much 
into  vogue  that  it  may  now  be  said  to  be  the 
favourite  style  of  binding.  This  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at ;  for,  while  it  combines  economy  and  dura- 
bility, it  can  also  be  made  to  exhibit  a  great  deal 
of  neatness.  To  do  this,  however,  requires  more 
care  and  skill  in  paring  the  back  and  corners  than 
is  generally  required  for  full  binding.  The  tran- 
sition from  the  thick  morocco  to  the  paper  used  on 
the  sides  can  be  made  almost  imperceptible  to  the 
touch  by  a  skilful  use  of  the  paring-knife  or  chisel. 
The  general  directions  for  covering  will  be  suffi- 
cient for  the  class  of  work  under  consideration. 
After  the  back  is  lettered  or  finished,  the  corners 
may  then  be  put  on ;  and,  after  carefully  marking 
and  cutting  the  paper  selected  for  the  purpose,  the 
sides  should  be  glued  carefully  over  and  affixed  to 
the  boards,  having  sufficient  projection  to  turn  in- 
side of  the  board  far  enough  to  be  covered  by  the  end- 
papers. The  width  of  the  back  should  be  governed 
by  the  size  of  the  volume.  A  narrow  back  gives 
a  very  meagre  appearance  to  a  book.   The  size 

of  the  corners  should  be  determined  by  the  width 

13* 


150 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  the  back.  The  end-papers  are  pasted  down  and 
the  work  finished  in  the  same  way  as  will  be  pointed 
out  for  binding  in  general.  The  colour  of  the  paper 
used  for  sides  should  harmonize  with  the  colour  of  the 
leather.  The  English  generally  prefer  the  inside- 
paper,  the  edges,  and  the  outside-paper,  to  match ; 
and  it  must  be  confessed  that,  when  the  paper  is  of 
good  quality  and  the  edges  correspond,  the  effect  is 
extremely  good.  The  French  generally  use  a  light 
tint  of  marble-paper  for  the  inside,  and  a  darker 
shade  for  the  outside.  For  durability  as  an  outside- 
paper,  there  is  nothing  equal  to  the  papier  d'Anonay, 
vellum  being  one  of  its  components.  Of  this  article 
there  are  many  worthless  imitations,  which  yet  in 
external  appearance  are  well  calculated  to  deceive. 
The  real  article  will  wear  as  well  as  the  morocco 
used  for  the  back  and  corners.  The  best  class  of 
half-binding  for  amateurs  is  the  Font  Hill  style, 
half  morocco,  of  the  best  quality  ;  uncut  leaves,  so 
as  to  preserve  the  integrity  of  the  margin  ;  top-edge 
gilt,  as  a  protection  from  dust ;  lined  with  the  best 
English  paper ;  worked-silk  headbands ;  outside- 
paper  to  harmonize  with  the  back  ;  no  gilding  on  the 
back  except  the  lettering.  This  style  requires  extra 
pains  in  the  forwarding  and  covering,  as  the  slightest 
defect  in  these  particulars  cannot  be  remedied  by 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


151 


the  finisher.  In  other  bindings,  the  brilliancy  of  the 
gilding  often  serves  to  conceal  or  to  allure  the  eye 
from  those  portions  of  the  binding  that  a  workman 
would  pronounce  to  be  "botched." 

Uncut  books  are  trimmed  to  a  general  line  with 
a  large  knife,  similar  to  a  butcher's-knife,  previous 
to  being  glued  up.  They  are  the  special  favourites 
of  book-collectors.  An  uncut  copy  of  a  scarce  work 
will  always  command  a  higher  price  than  one  that 
has  been  cropped. 

STATIONERY  OH  VELLUM  BINDING. 

This  branch  of  the  Art  of  Bookbinding,  in  large 
towns,  is  a  distinct  business,  and  presents  some 
difference  in  the  mode  of  proceeding  in  several 
of  the  manipulations  required.  These,  as  in 
previous  parts  of  the  work,  will  be  minutely  en- 
tered into  for  the  instruction  of  the  young  work- 
man, while  those  which  are  executed  in  the  same 
manner  as  directed  for  printed  books  will  be  merely 
referred  to  in  the  order  they  will  be  required  to  be 
executed. 

Stationery  binding  includes  every  description  of 
paper-book,  from  the  Memorandum,  which  is  simply 
covered  with  marble-paper,  to  the  most  firm  and 
elaborately  bound  book  used  in  the  counting-house 


152 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  the  merchant  and  banker.  Of  the  more  simple 
and  common  bindings,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to 
enter  into  minute  details,  the  proceedings  being  the 
same  as  for  others,  only  omitting  the  more  expen- 
sive operations,  the  price  allowed  making  it  neces- 
sary to  bind  them  in  a  more  simple  manner.  The 
first  proceeding,  should  the  work  require  it,  will 
be  the 

RULING. 

This  is  done  by  a  machine.  Formerly  it  was 
done  by  hand.  After  the  pens  are  properly  ad- 
justed, the  paper  to  be  ruled  is  placed  upon  the 
table  in  front  of  the  ruling-machine,  and  the 
rollers  set  in  motion.  The  sheet  is  caught  and 
passed  under  the  pens.  It  is  then  carried  by 
the  cloth  and  cords  and  laid  away  to  give  place 
to  another.  The  most  elaborate  patterns  can  be 
executed  upon  the  ruling-machine. 

Although  machine-ruling  has  almost  entirely  su- 
perseded the  old  process  of  ruling  by  hand,  yet  to 
some  a  brief  description  of  the  process  may  not  be 
unacceptable. 

The  paper,  which  is  generally  procured  from  the 
wholesale  stationers  ruled  with  blue  lines,  must  be 
opened  out  by  breaking  the  back  of  the  fold,  and 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


153 


refolded  evenly  in  small  sections.  The  pattern  for 
the  red  lines  being  placed  in  front,  the  whole  must  be 
knocked  evenly  up  at  the  back  and  head,  put  between 
boards,  the  top  of  the  paper  projecting,  and  screwed 
in  the  laying-press.  Then,  with  the  saw,  let  the 
marks  of  the  red  ink  on  the  pattern  be  sawn  across 
the  whole,  which  will  denote  the  places  for  the  lines 
on  the  right-hand  side  pages  throughout  the  book. 
In  like  manner,  placing  the  pattern  on  the  other 
side,  and  sawing  the  bottom  of  the  paper,  will  the 
marks  of  the  left-hand  pages  be  denoted.  Care  must 
be  taken  to  leave  a  larger  space  on  the  fore-edge,  to 
allow  for  cutting.  Should  a  head-line  be  required, 
it  must  be  similarly  marked  on  the  fore-edge  of  the 
paper.  This  done,  reopen  the  whole  of  the  sec- 
tions, and,  with  a  round  ruler  and  tin  pen,  proceed 
to  rule  the  whole  of  the  head-lines  on  one  side 
of  the  paper.  This,  as  well  as  every  division  of 
$  cts.,  or  other  distinct  column,  must  be  ruled 
double,  as  close  as  possible,  taking  care  that  both 
are  distinct,  and  that  they  do  not  run  into  each 
other.  The  head-line  being  completed  on  one  side, 
turn  the  whole  of  the  paper,  and  operate  in  like 
manner  on  the  other.  Then,  turning  the  paper,  so 
as  to  have  the  head-lines  to  the  left,  proceed  to  rule 
the  columns  marked  for  the  date,  amount,  &c, 


154 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


taking  especial  care  that  the  pen  always  commences 
by  the  line  at  the  head,  and  that  it  never  en- 
trenches on  the  space  above,  which  would  disfigure 
the  work.  As  for  the  head-line,  so  here  the  whole 
of  one  side  of  the  paper  must  be  completed  before 
the  other  is  commenced,  attention  being  paid  to 
each  line  being  perpendicular,  clear,  and  as  even  in 
colour  as  possible. 

The  cut  on  the  following  page  represents  a 
machine  for  printing  the  figures  upon  the  head  of 
the  pages,  formerly  done  by  the  accountant  with  a 
pen ;  but  now  no  blank  bindery  is  considered  com- 
plete without  a  paging-machine.  These  machines 
are  manufactured  by  H.  Griffin,  New  York.  The 
sheets  are  paged  by  this  machine  before  they  are 
sewed  together.  There  are  other  machines  in  use 
that  page  the  leaves  after  the  volume  is  bound,  the 
principal  objection  to  which  appears  to  be  the  lia- 
bility to  soil  or  otherwise  injure  the  binding ;  not- 
withstanding this  there  are  some  binders  who  give 
them  the  preference.  Those  who  have  used  the 
machines  of  Mr.  Griffin  speak  of  them  in  the  high- 
est terms. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  155 


INKS. 

To  give  to  the  work  the  best  effect,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  be  provided  with  good  inks,  and,  it 
being  connected  with  the  subject,  some  receipts  for 
their  preparation  are  subjoined. 


156 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


RED  INK. 

Mix  together  a  quarter  *of  a  pound  of  Brazil  dust, 
a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  cochineal,  a  small  piece  of 
lump-sugar,  and  two  quarts  of  vinegar:  let  these 
steep  ten  hours,  and  afterwards  boil  them  on  a  slow 
fire  till  of  a  good  red  colour.  When  settled,  strain 
the  ink  through  a  piece  of  fine  cotton,  and  bottle  it 
for  use. 

ANOTHER. 

Boil  in  a  quart  of  soft  water  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  Brazil  dust;  when  boiled,  put  in  one  ounce  of 
ground  alum,  one  ounce  of  white  stone  crystal,  and 
boil  for  three  minutes,  and  strain. 

BLUE  INK. 

A  good  blue  ink  may  be  obtained  by  diffusing 
Prussian  blue  or  indigo  through  strong  gum-water. 
The  common  water-colour  cakes,  diffused  also  in 
gum-water,  will  produce  a  tolerably  good  blue  for 
common  purposes;  but  Dyer's  blue,  diluted  with 
water  is  preferable  to  either. 

BLACK. 

Half  a  pound  of  nutgalls,  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
sulphate  of  zinc,  (white  vitriol,)  two  ounces  of  gum- 


AKT  OF   BOOKBINDING.  157 

arabic,  and  a  handful  of  salt.  Boil  the  nutgalls 
half  an  hour  in  three  quarts  of  soft  water,  then  put 
the  whole  together,  and  let  stand  for  use. 

ANOTHER. 

For  making  a  larger  quantity,  put  in  ten  gallons 
of  rain-water,  five  pounds  and  a  quarter  of  nutgalls, 
well  bruised,  one  pound  and  a  half  of  logwood  chips, 
the  like  quantity  of  copperas,  and  a  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  alum.  Let  them  stand  a  few  days,  and 
then  add  two  ounces  of  gum-arabic  and  an  ounce 
and  a  half  of  verdigris.  Stir  them  all  well  together 
two  or  three  times  a  day  for  a  fortnight  or  three 
weeks,  and  the  ink  will  then  be  fit  for  use. 

FOLDING. 

The  whole  being  ruled,  it  will  be  proper  to  fold 
the  book  to  the  size  required  into  sections  for  sew- 
ing. The  number  of  leaves  in  each  must  depend 
on  the  thickness  of  the  paper  and  size  of  the  book, 
taking  care  that  there  are  not  so  many  as,  when  cut, 
to  cause  the  leaves  to  start,  or  so  few  that  the  backs 
will  be  swollen  too  much  by  the  thread.  Then 
place  the  whole  evenly  in  the  standing-press  for 
some  time,  and  prepare  the  end-papers,  which  must 

be  of  blank  paper,  and  outsides,  unless  the  work  is 

H 


158 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  a  superior  description.  Should  leather  or  cloth 
joints  be  placed,  it  will  be  necessary  to  sew  them 
on  wTith  the  end-papers,  as  before  directed. 

SEWING. 

The  sewing  of  stationery  differs  much  from  that 
of  printed  books.  To  allow  of  the  greatest  possi- 
ble strength,  elasticity,  and  freedom,  they  are  sewn 
on  slips  of  vellum  without  being  marked  with  the 
saw,  and  the  whole  length  of  each  sheet,  with  waxed 
thread.  For  small  books,  two  slips  will  be  suf- 
ficient; for  foolscap  folio,  three  will  be  required; 
and,  where  larger,  the  number  must  be  increased, 
according  to  the  length  of  the  back,  leaving  a  space 
of  about  two  inches  between  each.  The  plan  laid 
down  by  31.  Lesne,  (page  27,)  might,  perhaps,  be 
adopted  here  with  fine  and  light  work  to  great 
advantage.  The  slips  should  be  cut  about  an  inch 
wide,  and  of  sufficient  length  to  extend  about  an 
inch  over  each  side  of  the  back.  This  portion  being 
bent  down  at  one  end  of  the  slips,  they  must  be 
placed  under  the  end-paper  on  the  table  at  such 
places  as  may  be  deemed  proper,  and  the  section 
sewn  the  whole  length,;  and  so  followed  by  every 
portion  till  the  whole  are  attached  in  the  same  man- 
ner, taking  care  that  the  slips  retain  a  perpen- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


159 


dieular  position  and  that  the  back  be  not  too  much 
swollen.  Should  a  morocco  joint  have  been  in- 
serted, it  must  be  sewn  on  with  strong  silk  of  the 
same  colour.  When  finished,  the  coloured  end- 
papers, if  any,  must  be  pasted  in,  and  the  first  and 
last  ruled  leaves  similarly  attached  to  the  end- 
papers. If  joints,  the  same  precautions  must  be 
adopted  as  before  directed.  The  book  may  then  be 
beat  even  on  the  back  and  head,  placed  again  in 
the  laying-press,  and  glued  up,  working  the  brush 
well  on  the  back,  so  as  to  force  the  glue  between 
the  sections. 

CUTTING. 

When  the  ends  and  back  are  dry,  this  will  be  the 
next  operation.  Here  the  fore-edge  must  be  cut 
first.  It  is  done  before  altering  the  form  of  the 
book,  paying  great  attention  to  the  knife  running 
evenly  across,  so  that  the  column  nearest  the  front 
is  not  cut  too  close,  and  is  parallel  to  the  edge. 
When  taken  out,  the  back  must  be  rounded  with 
the  hammer,  in  a  greater  degree  than  for  other 
bindings,  and  placed  again  evenly  in  the  standing- 
press.  After  remaining  a  short  time  the  head  and 
tail  must  in  like  manner  be  cut,  but  offer  no  differ- 
ence in  operation.  The  book  will  now  be  ready  for 
colouring  the  edges,  the  processes  of  which  have 


160 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


been  already  described.  In  England,  the  large 
Dutch  marble  is  generally  used  for  stationers*  work. 

BOARDING. 

The  next  operation  will  be  the  preparation  of  the 
boards  for  the  side-covers,  which  should  be  formed 
of  two  or  three  thin  milled  boards  pasted  together. 
These  must  be  cut  to  the  proper  size  with  the 
plough,  so  as  to  leave  a  perfectly  even  edge,  and 
will  require  to  have  a  larger  square  allowed  for 
than  is  usual  in  printed  books.  When  cut  they  must 
be  pasted  together,  leaving,  if  the  book  is  heavy 
and  the  slips  on  which  it  is  sewn  thick,  a  space  at 
the  back  to  place  them  in.  The  book  must  now  be 
head-banded,  and  then  it  will  be  proper  to  strengthen 
the  back  of  the  book  by  glueing  across,  on  the 
spaces  between  the  slips,  strong  pieces  of  canvas, 
and  at  the  head  and  tail  a  piece  of  calf,  leaving 
projections  on  each  side  to  be  attached  to  the  board. 
For  additional  firmness,  it  was  formerly  usual, 
where  the  work  was  of  a  superior  description,  to 
sew  the  length  of  the  book  with  catgut  in  about  ten 
or  fourteen  places,  according  to  the  thickness.  This 
is  done  by  placing  three  strips  of  strong  leather  in 
spaces  between  the  vellum  ones,  and  sewing  as  at 
first,  by  which  means  the  gut,  crossing  over  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  161 

leather  and  under  the  vellum  slips  on  the  back, 
appears  inside  on  the  spaces  where  no  thread  has 
before  passed.  For  ornament,  another  thread  is 
twisted  round  the  gut  on  the  back,  so  as  to  present 
the  appearance  of  a  double  cord.  These  matters 
being  adjusted,  the  slips  of  calf  at  the  head  and 
tail  must  be  let  in  by  cutting  the  end  of  the  waste 
leaf  and  placing  them  under.  The  other  slips,  of 
every  description,  after  trimming,  must  then  be  put 
into  the  space  left  between  the  boards,  which  should 
be  previously  well  pasted  or  glued,  the  boards  placed 
nearly  half  an  inch  from  the  back,  and  perfectly 
square  on  the  sides,  and  the  whole  screwed  tightly 
in  the  standing-press  for  some  time. 

THE  SPRING-BACK. 

There  are  numerous  ways  of  forming  this  de- 
scription of  back,  and  as  generally  adopted  in  dif- 
ferent offices.  As  in  other  particulars,  two  or  three 
of  the  best  will  here  be  given:  1.  Having  ascer- 
tained the  width  and  length  of  the  back,  and  pro- 
vided a  piece  of  strong  pasteboard,  or  thin  milled 
board,  of  little  more  than  twice  the  width,  fold  one 
side  rather  more  than  half,  and  then  the  other,  so 
that  the  middle  space  left  will  be  the  exact  size  re- 
quired, which  should  be  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch 

3  4* 


1G2  MANUAL  OF  THE 

wider  than  the  back  of  the  book ;  then  cut  evenly 
another  piece,  a  little  less  than  the  width,  then 
another  still  less,  and  so  on  for  six  or  seven,  lessen- 
ing the  width  each  time  till  the  last  is  merely  a 
narrow  slip.  Let  the  edges  of  the  first,  or  cover 
for  the  whole,  be  pared,  and  laid  open  on  the  table ; 
then  glue  the  middle  space,  and  place  thereon  the 
largest  slip,  which  also  glue,  and  add  the  next  in 
size,  proceeding  in  like  manner  till  the  smallest  is 
fixed,  taking  especial  care  that  each  occupies  the 
exact  centre  of  the  one  on  which  it  is  placed. 
Finally,  glue  the  whole  space  and  the  two  side-slips 
of  the  first,  which  must  be  brought  over  and  firmly 
rubbed  down.  Shape  it  to  the  curve  of  the  back 
of  the  book,  either  on  the  back  or  a  wooden  roller 
of  the  same  size,  and  leave  it  to  dry,  when  the  head 
and  tail  must  be  cut  to  the  proper  length  with  the 
shears.  For  greater  security  the  whole  is  often 
covered  with  linen  cloth. 

2.  Cut  a  piece  of  firm  milled  board  to  the  size 
required,  and  pare  down  the  edges;  then  hold  the 
board  to  the  fire  till  it  is  found  soft  enough  to  model 
almost  into  any  shape,  and  form  to  the  back  as 
above  directed.  The  board  is  sometimes  wetted, 
but  does  not  answer  so  well. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


163 


3.  A  beaten  iron  plate  of  the  exact  size,  and 
covered  with  parchment  or  leather. 

Numerous  patents  have  been  obtained  for  this 
description  of  back,  but  none  have  been  found  to 
answer  the  purpose,  on  account  of  the  metal  cutting 
through  the  parchment  or  leather. 

The  spring-back  is  only  used  for  the  superior 
kind  of  account-books ;  for  common  work,  a  piece 
of  thin  pasteboard  is  merely  laid  on  the  back  before 
covering,  the  stress  on  the  back  being  small. 

To  prevent  the  manufactured  back  slipping  dur- 
ing the  operation  of  covering,  it  is  laid  on,  and  a 
piece  of  cloth  glued  over  and  attached  to  the  sides, 
similarly  to  the  back  of  a  half-bound  book.  This 
tends  also  to  materially  strengthen  the  back. 

COVERING. 

The  materials  generally  used  for  stationery-bind- 
ing are  russia,  rough  calf,  green  and  white  vellum, 
and  rough  sheep,  according  to  the  value  of  the 
work.  Previous  to  pasting  on  vellum,  the  book 
should  be  covered  with  a  piece  of  strong  paper,  as 
if  for  boards.  The  process  is  the  same  as  for  other 
bindings ;  but  when  completed,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  put  the  book  in  the  standing-press,  having  pieces 
of  cane  or  wood  for  the  purpose  placed  between  the 


164 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


boards  and  the  back,  so  as  to  form  a  bold  groove, 
and  force  the  leather  close  on  the  edge  of  the  spring- 
back.  Previous  to  and  after  pressing,  the  head- 
bands must  be  squarely  set,  taking  care  to  rub  out 
any  wrinkles  that  may  have  been  formed  in  turning 
in  the  cover.  Should  the  book  be  very  large,  it 
may  be  advisable  to  give  it  a  nip  in  the  press  im- 
mediately after  folding  in  the  fore-edges  of  the 
boards,  and  then  finish  the  covering  by  turning  in 
the  head  and  tail. 

As  circumstances  —  such  as  the  fancy  of  some 
previous  workman,  or  coloured  vellum  not  to  be 
obtained  so  early  as  required  —  may  make  it  ne- 
cessary to  execute  the  proper  colours,  the  proceed- 
ings are  here  given. 

GREEN. 

Put  one  ounce  of  verdigris  and  one  ounce  of 
white  wine  vinegar  into  a  bottle,  and  place  them 
near  the  fire  for  five  days,  shaking  it  three  or  four 
times  each  day.  Wash  the  vellum  over  with  weak 
pearlash,  and  then  colour  it  to  the  shade  desired. 

RED. 

To  one  pint  of  white  wine  vinegar,  put  a  quarter 
of  a  pound  of  Brazil  dust  and  a  piece  of  alum. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


165 


Cork  the  mixture  up ;  let  it  stand  in  a  warm  place 
for  two  or  three  days. 

PURPLE. 

Proceed  as  for  the  red,  substituting  logwood  chips 
for  the  Brazil  dust. 

YELLOW. 

Half  an  ounce  of  turmeric  to  half  a  pint  of  spirits 
of  wine,  prepared  as  above. 

BLACK. 

Wash  the  vellum  over  three  times  with  the  red, 
and  while  wet  colour  with  strong  marbling-ink. 

Marbles  and  other  designs  may  be  formed  on 
white  vellum ;  but,  as  the  proceedings  have  been  so 
fully  entered  into  before,  it  will  not  be  necessary 
here  to  repeat  them.  Where  russia  bands  are  not 
added,  the  end-papers  must  now  be  pasted  down, 
and  the  lettering,  &c.  proceeded  with.  If  bands 
are  attached,  the  pasting  down  of  the  end-papers 
and  joints  must  be  deferred  till  they  are  executed. 

RUSSIA  BANDS. 

To  give  to  large  books  the  greatest  possible 
degree  of  strength,  it  is  usual  tc  affix  Russia  bands 
to  them.    They  are  called  si?igle  when  they  extend 


166 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


about  half-way  down  the  sides,  and  double  when 
those  at  the  head  and  tail  reach  to  the  corners  of 
the  boards,  and  are  turned  over  the  edges  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  cover.  For  single; — having 
ascertained  the  breadth  by  dividing  the  back  with 
the  compasses  into  seven  spaces,  cut  three  pieces 
of  russia  perfectly  square  and  the  exact  size  of  the 
spaces  they  are  to  occupy,  and  paste  them  on  the 
second,  fourth,  and  sixth  divisions  of  the  back, 
thereby  leaving  in  sight  the  first,  third,  fifth,  and 
seventh  spaces  with  the  cover  only;  draw  them 
squarely  on  the  sides,  and  place  the  volume  in  the 
press,  with  the  rods  fixed  to  force  the  russia  into 
the  joints,  as  before  directed,  and 'then  leave  to  dry. 
When  double  bands  are  to  be  placed  on  a  book, 
divide  the  back  into  five  spaces,  or  seven  if  four 
bands.  The  middle  band  or  bands  will  be  short, 
like  those  above,  and  placed  on  in  the  same  man- 
ner ;  but  those  at  the  head  and  tail,  which  extend 
their  whole  length,  to  the  fore-edge  of  the  boards, 
will  require  paring  on  the  edge  intended  to  be 
turned  in  at  the  headbands  and  over  the  boards  of 
the  book,  cutting  the  corners  and  squaring  the  edges 
as  in  covering.  When  done,  press  the  whole  with 
rods  as  before,  to  cause  the  russia  to  adhere  well 
and  evenly  to  the  vellum  or  calf,  and  leave  it  to  dry. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


167 


CLASPS,  CORNERS,  AND  BRASS  BANDS. 

Clasps  are  sometimes  affixed  to  the  better  kind 
of  stationery  books,  as  keeping  them  closed  when 
not  in  use  tends  much  towards  their  preservation. 
And  for  still  greater  security,  they  are  often  further 
protected  with  brass  corners  or  bands.  To  hide  the 
projection  the  clasps  would  make  on  the  fore-edge, 
that  part  of  the  board  must  be  cut  away  to  admit 
the  clasp,  so  that  when  fixed  it  will  be  even  with 
the  edge  of  the  board.  For  the  corners  and  bands 
this  is  not  done ;  but,  to  insure  a  finished  appear- 
ance in  the  whole,  the  workman's  attention  must  be 
directed  to  their  .fitting  exactly  in  every  particular 
of  length,  breadth,  and  thickness.  The  clasps  may 
be  purchased  of  the  makers,  but  it  may  be  found 
necessary  to  place  the  making  of  the  bands  and 
corners  in  the  hands  of  the  brass-worker,  to  whom 
particular  directions  and  sizes  must  be  given.  They 
must  fit  tightly  to  the  boards,  run  exactly  parallel 
with  the  edges,  and  have  the  holes  for  the  rivets 
drilled  through  previous  to  placing  on.  Where 
corners  are  put  on,  no  bands  will  be  required. 
Bands  which  extend  from  the  back  to  the  fore-edge 
and  form  a  corner  equal  to  the  breadth  of  the  band, 
being  squarely  soldered  in  front,  are  placed  at  the 


168 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


head  and  tail  of  the  book,  and  fastened  with  rivets 
in  the  following  manner,  as  are  also  the  clasps  and 
corners : — Pierce  the  boards  with  a  fine  bodkin  in 
such  places  as  are  previously  drilled  in  the  brass, 
and  force  through  brass  rivets  of  a  length  sufficient 
to  project  about  the  eighth  of  an  inch,  and  with 
heads  made  to  fit  exactly  to  the  cavities  formed  in 
the  bands ;  then  fasten  them  firmly,  by  placing  the 
heads  of  each  on  an  iron  and  beating  down  with  a 
hammer  the  part  projecting  inside,  till  it  is  smooth 
and  even  with  the  surface.  Bosses,  which  are  seen 
fixed  on  the  middle  of  the  boards  of  old  books,  par- 
ticularly of  early-bound  Bibles,  &c,  in  churches, 
are  fastened  in  the  same  manner. 


FINISHING. 

The  placing  of  lettering-pieces,  gilding,  and 
blind-tooling,  is  exactly  the  same  as  for  printed 
books.  Rough  calf  must  be  dressed  with  pumice- 
stone,  cleaned  with  a  brush,  and  ornamented  blind, 
with  the  tools  very  hot,  to  form  a  dark  impression. 
Vellum  will  require  the  tools  cooler  than  calf.  The 
book  now  being  ready  for  the  use  of  the  accountant 
necessarily  closes  the  details  of  this  description  of 
binding. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


169 


BOAEDINGr" 
In  large  places,  this  is  another  distinct  branch  of 
the  art,  and  consists  of  simply  covering  the  book 
with  coloured  paper  or  other  common  substance. 
In  small  towns,  it  must  necessarily  be  executed 
jointly  with  the  other  branches ;  but  so  ample  and 
minute  has  been  the  detail  of  the  various  manipula- 
tions in  a  previous  part  of  this  work,  that,  in  at- 
tempting a  description  of  boarding,  little  can  be 
said  without  repetition.  This  style,  too,  being  the 
commonest  mode  of  doing  up  books  in  this  country, 
also  places  the  subject,  under  any  circumstances,  in 
a  position  requiring  but  little  remark.  Previous, 
therefore,  to  speaking  of  the  few  processes  that  are 
peculiar  to  boarding,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to 
observe  that  the  folding,  pressing,  sewing,  backing, 
boarding,  covering,  and  pasting  down,  are  the  same 
as  for  regularly-bound  books.  It  remains,  then,  to 
add  that  the  books  will  not  require  beating,  and, 
for  common  boards,  are  never  cut  round  the  edges. 
The  leaves  are  only  dressed  with  the  trimming-knife 
previous  to  rounding  the  back,  so  as  to  present  as 
neat  an  appearance  as  possible,  by  removing  every 
portion  of  the  paper  projecting  over  the  general 

line.    For  greater  strength  to  the  back,  a  piece 

15 


170 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  paper  must  be  pasted  in  the  centre  of  the  coloured 
paper  previously  to  applying  it  on  the  volume. 
When  covered  and  pasted  down,  the  printed  label 
must  be  fixed  evenly  on  the  back,  and  the  book 
will  be  finished, 

CLOTH-WORK. 

In  the  year  1825  a  great  revolution  in  boarding 
was  begun  by  the  introduction  of  cloth  covers  in 
place  of  the  drab-coloured  paper  previously  in  use. 
The  late  Archibald  Leighton,  of  London,  was  the  in- 
ventor ;  and  Mr.  Pickering  was  the  first  publisher  who 
adopted  it.  The  first  cloth  covers  had  printed  labels ; 
but  very  soon  Mr.  Leighton  made  the  discovery  that 
cloth  could  be  stamped  with  gold  very  beautifully. 
Lord  Byron's  works  (the  edition  in  17  volumes) 
were  the  first  books  to  which  gold-lettering  on  cloth 
was  applied.  Cloth-work  is  now  done  with  full  gilt 
Bides  and  back  and  gilt  edges  ;  but,  from  the  tem- 
porary character  of  this  style,  the  question  may 
arise  whether  it  is  not  a  useless  expenditure  of  time 
and  money  to  produce  it.  But,  so  long  as  the 
public  remain  unacquainted  with  its  want  of  capa- 
bility for  use,  and  desire  a  mass  of  gold  upon  the 
sides, —  so  long,  in  fact,  as  there  is  a  large  class 
who  desire  books  for  mere  show  and  not  for  use, — 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


1T1 


it  will  be  the  interest  of  publishers  to  gratify  them 
by  furnishing  cloth-gilt  work. 

Expedition  being  so  important  in  cloth-work,  a 
machine  has  been  introduced  to  facilitate  the  opera- 
tion of  sawing  the  backs,  and  it  is  now  in  general 
use  for  the  purpose.  The  appended  cut  gives  an 
accurate  idea  of  the  machine  as  manufactured  by 
W.  0.  Hickok,  Uarrisburg,  Pa. 


172 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


For  this  and  all  other  species  of  case-work  (mo- 
rocco is  sometimes  done  in  this  manner)  the  lining- 
papers  are  inserted  and  pasted  over  so  as  to  adhere 
to  the  end-paper,  and  the  slips,  having  been  cut 
short,  are  scraped  or  rubbed  smooth.  The  volumes 
are  then  knocked  up  and  touched  on  the  back  in 
one  or  two  places  with  the  glue-brush.  They 
are  then  cut  upon  the  fore-edge,,*by  being  placed 
between  two  boards,  one  of  which  is  precisely 
the  width  that  it  is  intended  to  cut  the  volumes ; 
the  boards  and  books  are  placed  upon  the  laying- 
press,  and  the  backs  knocked  evenly  up ;  the  whole 
is  then  placed  in  the  laying-press,  and  cut  with  the 
plough.  The  back-board  being  wider  than  the 
front,  the  knife  cuts  against  it.  If  the  volumes  are 
small,  a  number  may  be  cut  at  the  same  time.  This 
mode  of  cutting  is  called  "  steamboating."  After 
the  whole  lot  that  the  workman  "has  on"  have  been 
cut  on  the  fronts,  they  are  then  placed  between 
cutting-boards  again,  of  the  proper  size,  and 
knocked  up  on  the  head ;  they  are  then  laid  upon 
the  press,  with  the  runner  or  front-board  up ;  the 
board  is  then  moved  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
below  the  heads  of  the  volumes  as  they  are  arranged 
in  layers  or  piles.  The  workman  will  then  grasp 
the  boards  firmly,  so  as  not  to  allow  the  books  to 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


173 


slip,  and  place  them  in  the  cutting-press,  and, 
after  screwing  it  up  tightly  with  the  press-pin,  pro- 
ceed to  cut  the  heads  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
fronts.  After  this  is  done,  unscrew  the  press  par- 
tially, so  as  to  allow  the  volumes  to  be  turned 
without  slipping  in  the  tub ;  then,  with  one  hand 
beneath  the  press,  depress  one  end  of  the  boards, 
while  the  other  is  elevated,  until  the  whole  is 
turned  completely  over,  with  the  tails  upward.  The 
runner  is  adjusted  even  with  the  cheek  of  the  press, 
the  press  is  screwed  up,  and  the  volumes  cut  at  the 
tail.  If  the  edges  are  to  be  gilt,  they  are  now  pre- 
pared for  that  operation.  Afterwards  they  are 
glued  upon  the  backs  and  rounded,  care  being 
taken  not  to  start  the  sheets  or  mark  the  gilding 
upon  the  fore-edge  with  the  thumb.  They  are  then 
backed  in  the  same  manner  as  bound  books,  except 
that  they  have  larger  joints.  Care  is  requisite  at 
the  ends,  or  the  blows  of  the  hammer  will  crush  the 
paper  and  thus  give  the  gilding  an  unsightly  ap- 
pearance at  the  joints. 

A  machine  has  been  invented  for  the  purpose 
of  backing  books,  and  it  appears  to  be  growing  in 
favour  for  cloth-work,  and,  in  fact,  for  all  work 
where  expedition  is  a  primary  essential.  It  is  the 
invention  of  Mr.  Sanborn,  of  Portland,  Maine. 

15*  ' 


174  MANUAL  OF  THE 

The  annexed  cut  gives  an  idea  of  the  general  ap- 
pearance of  the  machine. 


The  next  process  is  lining  the  backs,  which  is 
done  by  pasting  strips  of  paper  or  muslin  upon 
the  back,  having  it  of  sufficient  width  to  cover  the 
loints  on  each  side.  The  volumes  are  then  pre- 
pared for  the  cases,  which  have  been  previously  got 
ready.  The  boards  are  cut  to  a  uniform  squaro 
size  by  the  table-shears.  The  cloth  covers,  after 
having  been  cut  out,  have  the  corners  cut  off  to  a 
pattern  made  for  the  purpose,  just  sufficient  to 
allow  them  to  lap  when  the  cloth  is  turned  over 
the  edge  of  the  boards.    The  cover  is  then  glued 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


175 


TABLE-SHEARS. 

equally  over,  and  the  T  square  laid  upon  it, — the 
square  having  been  made  of  the  proper  width  to 
allow  for  the  back,  joints,  and  groove  of  the  volume. 
A  board  is  then  laid  on  each  side  of  the  centre  of 
the  square ;  the  latter  is  then  lifted  off,  and  a  strip 
of  paper,  of  the  length  of  the  boards  and  nearly 
the  width  of  the  back  of  the  book,  placed  between 


176  MANUAL  OP  THE 

the  boards.  The  cloth  projecting  beyond  the  boards 
is  then  turned  over  their  edges.  The  cover  is  then 
turned  over,  and  the  cloth  rubbed  smooth  on  the 
sides  by  means  of  a  woollen  or  cotton  pad.  It  is 
then  placed  between  pasteboards  to  dry.  After  the 
cases  are  all  made  and  have  become  perfectly  dry, 
they  are  ready  for  stamping.  Cloth  for  ordinary 
stamping  requires  no  preparation,  but  if  the  stamp 
be  large  or  very  heavy  it  will  be  safer  to  use  a 
coat  of  size.  For  this  purpose  Russian  isinglass  is 
preferable ;  fresh  glaire  will  answer  the  same  pur- 
pose. After  the  cases  are  stamped,  the  volumes 
being  ready,  they  are  arranged  with  their  heads  > 
the  same  way,  and  the  end-paper  of  the  volume  is 
pasted  equally  over.  The  book  is  then  laid,  pasted 
side  downwards,  upon  a  case,  adjusting  the  squares 
properly  at  the  same  time ;  the  other  end-paper  is 
then  pasted,  and  the  other  board  or  side  of  the  case 
drawn  over  the  back  and  placed  upon  the  volume. 
After  a  number  are  pasted,  they  are  placed  in 
pressing-boards  having  a  brass  band  affixed  to  the 
edges  of  the  boards.  The  band,  being  rather  wider 
than  the  thickness  of  the  board,  causes  a  slight  pro- 
jection. The  volumes  are  adjusted  in  the  pressing- 
boards  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cause  the  back  and 
joint  of  the  volumes  to  be  on  the  outer,  while  the 


ART  CF  BOOKBINDING. 


177 


pasteboard  is  on  the  inner,  side  of  the  brass  rim. 
In  this  position  the  volumes  are  placed  in  the  stand- 
ing-press and  screwed  tightly  down  ;  they  are  then 
tapped  lightly  at  the  heads  with  a  small  backing- 
hammer,  and  allowed  to  remain  until  dry.  They 
are  then  taken  out,  and  the  end-papers  opened  up 
or  separated  with  a  folding-stick.  They  are  then 
ready  for  the  bookseller's  shelves. 


178 


MAUAL  OF  THE 


PART  III. 

ORNAMENTAL  ART. 

In  treating  upon  this  subject,  we  are  led  back 
to  the  land  of  the  Pharaohs;  for  the  earliest  Art 
records  that  have  come  down  to  us  (and,  perhaps, 
the  most  perfect)  are  from  the  banks  of  the  Nile, 
remarkable  for  their  severely  massive  character, 
calm  and  frigid.  The  few  ornamental  details  are 
chosen  rather  for  their  symbolical  than  aesthetic 
beauty,  consisting  of  local  forms  slightly  conven- 
tionalized and  heightened  with  colour.  Their  orna- 
ments were  types  and  symbols  intended  to  address 
themselves  to  the  eye,  heart,  and  soul  of  the  be- 
holder, the  most  frequent  in  recurrence  being  the 
winged  globe, — a  sacred  emblem  the  Egyptians  used 
in  their  ornamental  designs, — the  human  figure,  their 
sacred  animals,  and  the  lotus,  reed,  asp,  and  papy- 
rus. Upon  the  capitals  of  Egyptian  columns  are 
represented  nearly  all  the  flowers  peculiar  to  the 
country,  the  petals,  capsules,  pistils,  seeds,  and 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


179 


most  minute  parts,  being  often  exhibited.  Capitals 
are  often  seen  resembling  a  vase,  and  at  other  times 
a  bell  reversed.  There  is  little  in  this  style  appli- 
cable to  the  decoration  of  books,  unless  it  be  upon 
works  relating  to  Egypt.  Then  its  symbols  afford 
the  binder  an  opportunity  to  employ  its  symbolic 
ornamentation. 

ASSYRIAN  AND  ANCIENT  PERSIAN. 

Of  this  style  it  is  only  lately  that  we  have  become 
slightly  acquainted ;  and,  though  partly  coeval  with 
the  Egyptian,  the  Assyrians  have  borrowed  little 
from  them,  the  details  being  remarkable  for  their 
classic  character,  at  times  approaching  the  Ionic, 
but  greatly  dependent  upon  animal  forms  for  its 
ornamentation,  and  upon  painting  and  sculpture  for 
its  expression.  The  forms,  often  graceful,  are  less 
arbitrary  than  the  Egyptian,  (where  symbolism  is 
paramount,)  containing  those  elements  afterwards 
elaborated  into  beauty  by  the  Greeks.  There  is  an 
appropriate  fitness  in  Assyrian  ornament  that  con- 
stitutes one  of  its  prominent  characteristics.  In  addi- 
tion to  animals,  the  pomegranate,  fir-cones,  lotus- 
flower  and  reeds,  rosettes,  and  a  fan-shaped 
ornament  supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  the  Greek 
honeysuckle,  distinguish  the  Assyrian  style. 


180 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


GREEK. 

Under  the  ancient  Greeks,  Art  attained  a  refined 
and  exalted  character,  material  beauty  being  de- 
veloped to  the  utmost;  elegance  of  proportion,  chaste 
simplicity,  and  conventionalism,  triumphant;  sym- 
bolism disregarded.  The  principal  elements  of 
Greek  ornament  were  the  honeysuckle,  the  lotus- 
leaves,  the  wave-line  and  scroll,  the  zig-zag,  and 
the  universal  fret.  The  beauty  of  Grecian  orna- 
ment consists  in  its  equality  of  foliage,  starting- 
points,  stalks,  and  groundwork.  Its  running  figures 
are  well  adapted  to  and  are  employed  for  rolls,  in 
side-finishing,  and  the  proportions  of  this  style  of 
Art  should  be  carefully  studied  by  the  finisher. 

ETRUSCAN. 

Simplicity  and  elegance  of  form,  combined  with 
strong  contrast  in  colour,  constitute  the  distinguish- 
ing marks  of  this  style.  The  Etruscan  vases  still 
form  models  for  the  artist.  The  novel  appearance 
of  these  vessels,  all  uniformly  painted  with  a  tracery 
of  black  on  a  natural  groundwork  of  brownish  red, 
is  extremely  pleasing,  proving  the  high  artistic 
capability  of  their  makers.  In  the  British  Museum 
there  is  one  room  entirely  devoted  to  a  collection 
of  these  remains  of  ancient  Art.    This  style  is  ap- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  181 

proaclied  in  its  effects  by  inlaying  with  black  upon 
a  brownish  red.  A  copy  of  Caxton's  "  Recuyell  of 
the  Historyes  of  Troye,"  bound  in  this  style  by  Whit- 
taker,  has  been  highly  extolled.  It  is  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  Marquis  of  Bath.  The  general  effects 
of  this  style  are  represented  by  a  style  now  much 
in  vogue,  called  antique,  a  reddish-brown  morocco 
being  stamped  upon  so  as  to  produce  a  dark  or 
black  figure  thereon ;  but  the  character  of  the  orna- 
ments are  generally  dissimilar. 

ROMAN. 

Roman  art  is  a  redundant  elaboration  of  the 
Greek,  in  which  purity  gives  way  to  richifess, 
grotesque  combinations  become  common,  and  false 
principles  creep  in.  Mosaic  pavements  are  rendered 
pictorial  by  the  introduction  of  light  and  shade,  the 
flat  and  round  not  kept  distinct.  In  the  remains 
of  Pompeii  we  find  the  degradation  of  classic  Art  by 
the  violation  of  true  principles.  There  is  nothing 
in  this  styl$  to  commend  it  to  the  artist,  especially 
in  decorating  books. 

BYZANTINE,  LOMBARD,  NORMAN. 

These  varieties  of  kindred  ornament,  commencing 
with  the  rise  of  Christianity,  were  founded  on  classic 

16 


182 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


details,  having  a  distinct  expression  of  their  own. 
There  is  much  symbolism  in  the  Byzantine,  but  all 
are  appropriate  to  their  several  wants, — the  parts 
rich,  judiciously  disposed,  and  purely  conventional. 
In  these  styles,  so  intimately  connected,  we  find  the 
interlaced  strap-work  that  suggested  Gothic  tracery 
to  the  great  mediaeval  artists. 

MOORISH. 

The  decorative  art  of  the  Arabs  is  more  conven- 
tional than  any  other,  it  being  in  most  cases  ex- 
tremely difficult  to  trace  the  origin  of  their  forms. 
All  animal  representations  are  strictly  excluded  by 
the  religion  of  Mohammed.  The  union  of  geometrical 
with  floral  forms  seems  to  have  supplied  the  expres- 
sion, many  ornaments  resembling  the  ovary  of 
plants,  transversely  cut  and  connected  with  crys- 
talline shapes.  The  abstract  and  superficial  treat- 
ment is  perfect,  the  forms  are  extremely  graceful, 
and  the  colouring  gorgeous.  The  interlaced  strap- 
work  is  highly  elaborated.  This  style  is  sometimes 
called  the  Arabesque,  and  forms  the  chief  decoration 
of  the  Alhambra,  an  ancient  fortress  and  residence 
of  the  Moorish  monarchs  of  Granada.  For  grace 
and  liveliness  this  style  is  unrivalled,  and  it  affords 
many  useful  and  beautiful  hints  to  the  finisher  in 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


183 


his  hand-tooling,  and  is  well  calculated  to  produce 
fine  effects  in  stamps  designed  for  the  embossing- 
press. 

GOTHIC. 

The  Gothic  is  founded  upon  geometrical  forms. 
The  strap-work  of  former  styles  is  elaborated  into 
tracery,  the  main  lines  being  circular  or  curved, 
starting  from  vertical  lines,  ending  in  points,  en- 
closing spaces  divided  and  subdivided  in  the  same 
manner,  further  decorated  with  conventional  orna- 
ments derived  from  local  nature.  For  bookbinding 
it  is  sometimes  employed,  but  without  much  judg- 
ment. The  judicious  finisher  will  reject  it  on  ac- 
count of  its  inapplicability  to  superficial  decoration. 

THE  RENAISSANCE. 

The  Renaissance  or  Revival  arose  in  Italy  in 
the  fifteenth  century,  by  the  appropriation  of 
classic  details  in  connection  with  prior  styles,  the 
traditionary  giving  way  to  selection  and  freedom ; 
Art  gaining  but  few  entirely  new  forms,  rather 
subjecting  all  that  had  gone  before  to  a  new  treat- 
ment, which  in  the  hands  of  the  great  artists  of 
the  period  produced  agreeable  results,  showing  the 
importance  of  general  design,  rendering  even  in- 
congruous materials  pleasing  from  that  cause  alone 


184  MANUAL  OF  THE 

The  Cinque-cento  has  been  considered  the  goal 
of  the  Renaissance  and  its  characteristics, — strap, 
tracery,  arabesque,  and  pierced  scroll-work,  a  mix- 
ture of  the  conventional  with  natural  forms,  and 
every  detail  of  ancient  Art, — producing,  under  dif- 
ferent masters,  varied  results.  Thus,  in  Raphael's 
Loggie  of  the  Vatican  are  to  be  found,  as  at  Pom- 
peii, elements  piled  one  above  the  other,  without 
any  regard  to  construction.  The  same  with  the 
works  of  Julio  Romano  at  Mantua, — painted  imita- 
tion of  bas-reliefs  suspended  above  fountains,  tem- 
ples, &c,  the  parts  often  finely  drawn  and  treated, 
but,  taken  as  a  whole,  little  removed  from  the  ab- 
surd, quite  unlike  the  works  of  the  Greeks  and 
Etruscans  they  sought  to  rival. 

ELIZABETHAN. 

The  Elizabethan  was  an  English  version  of  the 
Renaissance,  being  a  special  elaboration  of  the 
strap  and  bolt-work,  and  has  been  highly  useful 
to  the  stamp-cutter.  Many  of  its  forms  can  be 
advantageously  employed  by  the  finisher. 

LOUIS  QUATORZE. 

This  distinct  expression  of  Art  is  of  Italian 
origin,  being  the  last  of  the  Renaissance,  and  end 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  185 

of  ornamental  styles.  It  consists  of  scrolls  and 
shells,  an  alternation  of  curves  and  hollows,  the 
concave  and  convex  in  contrast,  the  broken  sur- 
faces affording  a  brilliant  play  of  light  and  shade. 
The  effect  when  gilt  being  extremely  magnificent, 
colour  was  abandoned,  construction  hidden,  and 
symmetry  often  disregarded,  especially  in  its  de- 
cline. As  to  superficial  treatment,  flat  surfaces  were 
studiously  avoided,  and  the  few  that  remained  were 
treated  pictorially,  in  a  mellifluous,  pastoral  style, 
known  as  that  of  Watteau.  Under  Louis  XV.  the 
forms  degenerated:  symmetrical  balance  and  flow 
of  line  were  disregarded,  giving  way  to  the  de- 
graded ornamentation  called  the  Rococo — the  pre- 
vailing style  of  the  last  and  earlier  part  of  the 
present  century — depriving  Europe  for  more  than 
one  hundred  years  of  true  superficial  decoration, 
without  which  no  Art  can  be  considered  complete. 
An  attempt  at  this  style  may  be  seen  upon  the 
sides  of  some  of  the  gaudily-gilt  albums  and  books 
of  like  character.  No  finisher  need  cultivate  a 
love  for  it,  for  it  is  the  aversion  of  all  refined 

artists.  * 

16* 


186 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


FINISHING. 

TASTE  AND  DESIGN. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  a  young  work- 
man that  he  have  correct  ideas  in  regard  to  taste, 
and  be  able  to  distinguish  it  from  caprice  or  mere 
fancy.  It  is  in  the  power  of  all  to  acquire  a  correct 
taste,  for  it  is  governed  by  laws  that  can  be  easily 
learned,  and  they  are  unchangeable.  Taste  may 
be  said  to  be  a  perception  and  an  appreciation  of 
the  principles  of  beauty  and  harmony  as  revealed 
by  Nature  through  Art.  Nothing  contrary  to 
nature,  no  violation  of  any  law  of  proportion  or 
of  fitness,  can  be  in  good  taste.  The  amateur  and 
book-collector,  in  commencing  the  foundation  of  a 
library,  will  do  well  to  pause  before  they  adopt  a 
species  of  binding  that  will  in  after  years  create  a 
feeling  of  annoyance,  and  perhaps  lead  to  pecu- 
niary sacrifice. 

A  recent  writer  upon  the  New  York  Exhibition 
of  the  Industry  of  all  Nations  discourses  thus : — 
"  We  call  bookbinding  an  art ;  and  when  we  con- 
sider all  that  is  necessary  to  the  perfect  covering 
of  a  fine  book,  it  must  be  admitted  to  be  an  art ; 
less  important,  it  is  true,  but  similar  in  kind  to 
architecture. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  187 

"  The  first  requisition  upon  the  skill  of  the  binder 
is  to  put  the  book  into  a  cover  which  will  effectually 
protect  it,  and  at  the  same  time  permit  it  to  be  used 
with  ease.  If  he  do  not  accomplish  this,  his  most 
elaborate  exhibition  of  ornamental  skill  is  worth 
nothing ;  for  he  fails  in  the  very  end  for  which  his 
services  are  required.  It  was  in  this  regard,  too, 
that  most  of  our  binders  failed  in  past  years.  Who 
that  remembers  the  hideous,  harsh,  speckled  sheep 
covers  which  deformed  our  booksellers'  shelves  not 
long  ago,  can  forget  the  added  torment  which  they 
inflicted  upon  their  unhappy  purchaser,  by  curling 
up  palpably  before  his  very  eyes,  as  he  passed  his 
first  evening  over  them,  and  by  casting  out  loose 
leaves  or  whole  signatures  before  he  had  finished 
his  first  perusal?  In  those  days,  too,  there  was 
morocco  binding,  with  a  California  of  gold  upon 
the  sides ;  and  such  morocco  !  it  felt  to  the  fingers 
like  a  flattened  nutmeg-grater,  seeming  to  protect 
the  book  by  making  it  painful  for  any  one  to  touch 
it.  This  was  as  useless  as  the  humbler  though  not 
more  vulgar  sheep.  It  would  hardly  last  through 
the  holiday  season  on  the  centre-table  which  it  was 
made  to  adorn. 

"  The  binder's  next  task  is  to  give  his  work  the 
substantial  appearance  without  which  the  eye  of 


188 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  connoisseur  will  remain  unsatisfied.  The  vo- 
lume must  not  only  be  well  protected,  but  seem  so. 
It  should  be  solid,  compact,  square-edged,  and  en- 
closed in  firm  boards  of  a  stoutness  proportionate 
to  its  size,  and  these  should  be  covered  with  leather 
at  once  pliable  and  strong.  Unless  it  present  this 
appearance,  it  will  be  unsatisfactory  in  spite  of  the 
richest  colours  and  the  most  elaborate  ornament. 
Thus  far  the  mere  mechanical  skill  of  the  binder 
goes.  In  the  choice  of  his  style  of  binding,  and 
in  the  decoration  of  his  book,  if  he  perform  his  task 
with  taste  and  skill,  he  rises  to  the  rank  of  an 
artist. 

"  The  fitness  of  the  binding  to  the  character  of 
the  volume  which  it  protects,  though  little  regarded 
by  many  binders,  and  still  less  by  those  for  whom 
they  work,  is  of  the  first  importance.  Suppose 
Moore's  Lalla  Rookh  bound  in  rough  sheep,  with 
dark  russia  back  and  corners,  like  a  merchant's 
ledger,  or  Johnson's  folio  Dictionary  in  straw- 
coloured  morocco  elaborately  gilded,  and  lined  with 
pale  blue  watered-silk,  is  there  an  eye,  no  matter 
how  uneducated,  which  would  not  be  shocked  at  the 
incongruity?  Each  book  might  be  perfectly  pro- 
tected, open  freely,  and  exhibit  evidence  of  great 
mechanical  and  artistic  skill  on  the  part  of  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


189 


binder ;  but  his  atrocious  taste  would  insure  him  a 
just  and  universal  condemnation.  And  yet  there 
are  violations  of  fitness  to  be  seen  daily,  on  the 
majority  of  public  and  private  shelves,  little  less 
outrageous  than  those  we  have  supposed.  Books 
of  poetry,  and  illustrated  works  on  art  bound  in 
sober  speckled  or  tree-marbled  calf,  with  little  gold 
upon  the  backs  and  sides,  and  none  upon  the  edges ! 
Histories,  statistical  works,  and  books  of  reference, 
in  rich  morocco,  splendidly  gilded ! — the  idea  that 
the  styles  ought  to  change  places  seeming  never  to 
enter  the  heads  of  the  possessors  of  these  absurdly- 
covered  volumes.  But  a  little  reflection  by  any 
person  of  taste,  and  power  to  discern  the  eternal 
fitness  of  things,  will  make  it  apparent  that  there 
should  be  congruity  and  adaptation  in  the  binding 
of  books.  Sober,  practical  volumes  should  be  cor- 
respondingly covered ;  calf  and  russia  leather,  with 
marbled  paper  and  edges,  become  them ;  while 
works  of  imagination,  such  as  poetry  and  books 
of  engravings,  demand  rich  morocco,  fanciful  orna- 
ments, and  gilding.  To  bind  histories,  philosophi- 
cal works,  dictionaries,  books  of  reference  and  the 
like,  in  plain  calf  or  dark  russia, — travels,  novels, 
essays,  and  the  lighter  kind  of  prose  writing,  in 
tinted  calf  or  pale  russia  with  gilding,—- poetry  in 


190 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


full  morocco  richly  gilded,  and  works  on  art  in  half 
morocco,  with  the  top  edge  only  cut  and  gilded, — 
seems  a  judicious  partition  of  the  principal  styles 
of  binding.  The  margins  of  an  illustrated  work 
on  Art  should  never  be  cut  away,  except  where  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  the 
book  from  dust,  and  the  convenience  of  turning  the 
leaves — that  is,  at  the  top.  It  is  well  here  to  enter 
a  protest  against  the  indiscriminate  use  of  the  an- 
tique style  of  binding,  with  dark-brown  calf,  bevelled 
boards,  and  red  edges.  This  is  very  well  in  its 
place ;  but  it  should  be  confined  to  prose  works  of 
authors  who  wrote  not  later  than  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  ago.  What  propriety  is  there  in  putting 
Scott,  or  Irving,  or  Dickens,  or  Longfellow,  in  such 
a  dress  ?" 

Hartley  Coleridge's  opinion  on  the  subject  of 
taste  in  Bookbinding  is  thus  given  : — "  The  binding 
of  a  book  should  always  suit  its  complexion.  Pages 
venerably  yellow  should  not  be  cased  in  military 
morocco,  but  in  sober  brown  russia.  Glossy  hot- 
pressed  paper  looks  best  in  vellum.  We  have  some- 
times seen  a  collection  of  whitey-brown  black-letter 
ballads,  &c.  so  gorgeously  tricked  out  that  they 
remind  us  of  the  pious  liberality  of  the  Catholics, 
who  dress  in  silk  and  gold  the  images  of  saints, 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


191 


part  of  whose  saintship  consisted  in  wearing  rags 
and  hair-cloth.  The  costume  of  a  volume  should 
also  be  in  keeping  with  its  subject,  and  with  the 
character  of  its  author.  How  absurd  to  see  the 
works  of  William  Penn  in  flaming  scarlet,  and 
George  Fox's  Journal  in  bishops'  purple  !  Theo- 
logy should  be  solemnly  gorgeous.  History  should 
be  ornamented  after  the  antique  and  Gothic  fashion ; 
works  of  science,  as  plain  as  is  consistent  with 
dignity;  poetry,  simplex  munditis" 

And  it  may  not  be  irrelevant  here  to  introduce 
the  opinion  of  Dr.  Dibdin,  whose  connection  with 
some  of  the  first  libraries  in  England,  and  whose 
intimate  knowledge  of  all  the  great  book-collectors 
of  the  same,  must  tend  to  stamp  him  as  a  good 
authority  on  the  subject : — 

"  The  general  appearance  of  one's  library  is  by 
no  means  a  matter  of  mere  foppery  or  indifference ; 
it  is  a  sort  of  cardinal  point,  to  which  the  tasteful 
collector  does  well  to  attend.  You  have  a  right  to 
consider  books,  as  to  their  outsides,  with  the  eye 
of  3>  painter;  because  this  does  not  militate  against 
the  proper  use  of  the  contents. 

"  Be  sparing  of  red  morocco  or  vellum.  They  have 
each  so  distinct,  or  what  painters  call  spotty,  an 
appearance,  that  they  should  be  introduced  but  cir- 


192 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


cumspectly.  Morocco,  I  frankly  own,  is  my  fa- 
vourite surtout;  and  the  varieties  of  them — blue, 
(dark  and  light,)  orange,  green,  and  olive-colour — 
are  especially  deserving  of  your  attention. 

The  colour  of  the  binding  may  often  be  in  har- 
mony with  its  contents.  Books  of  poetry  may  be 
red,  or  light  green,  or  blue,  and  have  as  much 
ornament  as  may  be  desired.  And  Fine  Art  books, 
above  all  others,  ought  to  rejoice  in  beautiful 
coloured  moroccos  and  gorgeous  ornaments.  In  the 
British  Museum,  books  of  divinity  are  bound  in 
blue,  history  in  red,  poetry  in  yellow,  and  biography 
in  olive. 

"  Let  russia  claim  your  volumes  of  architecture 
or  other  antiquities,  of  topography,  of  lexicography, 
and  of  other  works  of  reference.  Let  your  romances 
and  chronicles  aspire  to  morocco  or  velvet;  though, 
upon  second  thoughts,  russia  is  well  suited  to  his- 
tory and  chronicles.  And  for  your  fifteeners,  or 
volumes  printed  in  the  fifteenth  century,  whether 
Greek,  Latin,  Italian,  or  English,  let  me  entreat  you 
invariably  to  use  morocco :  for  theology,  dark  blue, 
black,  or  damson-colour ;  for  history,  red  or  dark 
green;  while,  in  large  paper  quartos,  do  not  fail  to 
remember  the  peau  de  veau  (calf)  of  the  French, 
with  gilt  upon  marbled  edges.    My  abhorrence  of 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


193 


hogsJcin  urges  me  to  call  upon  you  to  swear  eternal 
enmity  to  that  engenderer  of  mildew  and  mischief. 
Indeed,  at  any  rate,  it  is  a  clumsy  coat  of  mail. 
For  your  Italian  and  French,  especially  in  long 
suites,  bespeak  what  is  called  French  calf  binding, 
spotted,  variegated,  or  marbled  on  the  sides,  well 
covered  with  ornament  on  the  back,  and,  when  the 
work  is  worthy  of  it,  with  gilt  on  the  edges.  Let 
your  English  octavos  of  history  or  belles-lettres 
breathe  a  quiet  tone  of  chastely-gilded  white  calf 
with  marbled  edges ;  while  the  works  of  our  better- 
most  poets  should  be  occasionally  clothed  in  a 
morocco  exterior." 

The  further  opinion  of  the  doctor  on  the  style  of 
ornament,  &c.  in  gilding,  will  be  given  in  its  proper 
place,  and  which,  with  that  cited  above,  may  be 
safely  acted  upon  by  the  binder,  blended  with  such 
additions  as  his  own  taste  may  dictate. 

It  is  in  this  state  that  the  defects  of  forwarding 
will  become  more  apparent,  and  which  no  tact  or 
ingenuity  of  the  finisher  can  effectually  remedy; 
for,  unless  the  bands  are  square,  the  joints  free,  and 
the  whole  book  geometrically  just,  the  defect,  what- 
ever it  may  be,  will  appear  throughout,  and  tend  to 

destroy  the  beauty  of  every  subsequent  operation, 

17 


194 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


from  tlie  constraint  required  to  make  the  general 
appearance  of  the  work  effective. 

Before  proceeding  to  a  description  of  the  various 
manipulations  required  in  gilding  a  book,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  young  work- 
man again  to  what  has  been  advanced  relative  to 
care  and  attention  in  previous  parts  of  this  work, 
and  follow  up  the  remarks  there  made  with  others 
on  the  taste  necessary  to  be  displayed  in  this  most 
important  part  of  the  art  of  bookbinding.  When 
it  is  considered  that  the  most  celebrated  artists  have 
arrived  at  the  eminence  awarded  to  them  not  only 
through  the  elasticity,  solidity,  and  squareness  of 
their  bindings,  but  also  from  the  judicious  choice  of 
their  ornaments  for  gilding,  and  the  precision  and 
beauty  with  which  they  have  been  executed,  it  can- 
not be  too  strongly  impressed  on  the  workman  that 
this  should  ever  occupy  his  first  attention.  Nothing 
is  so  disagreeable  to  the  eye  as  injudicious  or  badly- 
executed  ornaments ;  while  with  chaste  and  classical 
embellishments,  tastefully  applied,  an  appearance 
of  richness  is  produced  on  the  volumes  that  cannot 
fail  to  give  satisfaction  to  the  most  fastidious  critic. 
The  sides  of  the  volumes  present  the  field  most 
favourable  for  the  display  of  ornamental  taste, 
admitting,  from  their  extent,  the  execution  of  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


195 


most  complicated  designs.  This  elaborate  style  of 
ornament  has  been  carried  to  such  perfection  and 
splendour  as,  in  many  instances,  to  have  occupied 
several  days  in  the  execution  of  one  side  alone ;  but 
it  is  only  by  the  most  vigorous  application,  greatest 
care,  and  correct  taste,  that  proficiency  therein  can 
be  attained.  With  these,  success  will  soon  crown  the 
endeavours  of  the  workman ;  and  he  will  have  the 
satisfaction  of  finding  himself  able  to  imitate  any 
pattern,  however  difficulty  as  well  as  to  execute  many 
new  designs  and  compartments,  of  which,  till  he 
applied  himself,  he  had  not  previously  an  idea. 

As  regards  the  style  of  ornament,  it  must  be  left 
to  taste;  but,  as  before  promised,  it  will  now  be 
proper  to  introduce  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Dibdin  on 
the  general  effect  of  gilding  and  blind  tooling, 
leaving  the  detail  to  be  suggested  to  the  mind  of 
the  gilder. 

"  First,  let  your  books  be  well  and  evenly  lettered, 
and  let  a  tolerable  portion  of  ornament  be  seen  upon 
the  backs  of  them.  I  love  what  is  called  an  over- 
charged bach.  At  first  the  appearance  may  be 
flaunting  and  garish ;  but  time,  which  mellows  down 
book  ornaments  as  well  as  human  countenances, 
will  quickly  obviate  this  inconvenience ;  and  about 
a  twelvemonth,  or  six  months  added  to  the  said 


196 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


twelvemonth,  will  work  miracles  upon  the  appear- 
ance of  your  book.  Do  not  be  meagre  of  your 
ornaments  on  the  back,  and  never  suffer  blind  tool- 
ing  wholly  to  pervade  a  folio  or  quarto ;  for,  by  so 
doing,  you  convert  what  should  look  like  a  look  into 
a  piece  of  mahogany  furniture. 

"In  large  libraries  there  should  not  be  too  much 
blind  tooling  or  too  great  a  want  of  gilt.  No  doubt 
the  ornament  should  be  as  appropriate  as  possible 
to  the  book.  One  could  not  endure  gingerbread- 
gilt  Bibles  and  Prayer-Books,  or  Chronicles  or 
Dictionaries,  or  other  books  of  reference.  Let  these 
have  a  subdued  decoration  on  their  backs ;  bands 
only  full-gilfc,  or  a  running  edge-tool  in  the  cen- 
tres of  them,  with  small  ornaments  between  the 
bands. 

"  I  would  recommend  the  lettering  of  a  volume 
to  be  as  full  as  possible ;  yet  sententiousness  must 
sometimes  be  adopted.  The  lines  should  be  straight, 
and  the  letters  of  one  and  the  same  form  or  cha- 
racter within  the  line ;  yet  the  name  of  the  author 
may  be  executed  a  size  larger  than  that  of  the  date 
or  place  of  its  execution,  and  the  lettering  may  be 
between  the  top  and  bottom  bands,  or  it  may  occupy 
the  spaces  between  three  bands,  or  even  more. 
Re-letter  old  books  perpendicularly,  as  was  the  cus- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


197 


torn.  In  all  fresh  bindings,  however,  prefer  hori- 
zontal to  perpendicular  lettering."* 

It  remains  to  urge  that  particular  attention  be 
paid  to  the  lettering  of  books  being  their  right 
titles,  as  the  contrary  will  present  to  the  judicious 
an  effect  the  most  disagreeable,  and  may  be  the 
cause  of  producing  dissatisfaction  with  the  whole  of 
the  binding  in  the  mind  of  the  owner;  and  also  to 
avoid  the  contrast  which  the  different  shade  or 
colour  of  new  lettering-pieces  will  give  to  some 
bindings. 

As  it  is  requisite  that  the  workman  should  form 
an  idea  of  the  style  and  design  to  be?  executed  on 
the  volume  before  he  prepares  it  for  gilding,  we 
will  proceed  to  point  out  the  peculiarities  of  some 
of  the  most  prominent  styles  and  of  the  tools  re- 
quired to  produce  them.  We  hope  to  convey  a 
faithful  idea  of  the  latter  with  the  aid  of  the 
tools  and  ornaments  executed  expressly  for  this 
work  by  Gaskill,  Copper  &  Fry,  bookbinders'  tool- 


*  We  sometimes  fear  that  Dr.  Dibden?s  commendation  of 
an  overcharged  back  has  produced  a  bad  effect.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that,  when  the  doctor  wrote,  calf  was  the 
prevailing  material  employed  in  binding,  and  that  of  a  light 
colour. 

J7* 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


cutters,  Philadelphia,  who  have  secured  for  them- 
selves, by  their  taste  and  skill,  an  enviable  reputa- 
tion as  artists.  Plate  I.  contains  an  illustration  of 
the  species  of  ornament  termed 

THE  ALBINE  STYLE, 

Which  derives  its  name  from  a  noted  printer  named 
Aldus  Manutius,  a  Roman  by  birth,  who  was  born 
in  the  year  1446  or  1447.  His  Christian  name, 
Aldus,  was  a  contraction  of  Theobaldus  ;  and  to 
this  surname  he  sometimes  added  the  appellation  of 
Pius,  or  Bassianus,  or  Romanus.  The  first  of  these 
appellatives  was  assumed  by  Aldus  from  his  having 
been  the  tutor  of  Albertus  Pius,  a  prince  of  the 
noble  house  of  Carpi ;  and  the  second  was  derived 
from  the  birthplace  of  the  printer — namely,  Bassian, 
a  small  town  in  the  Duchy  of  Lermonetta. 

Aldus  is  supposed  to  have  taken  up  his  residence 
at  Venice,  as  the  favourite  city  wherein  to  mature 
his  plans,  about  the  year  1488 ;  and  about  1494-95 
he  there  put  forth  the  first  production  of  his  press. 
He  introduced  Roman  types  of  a  neater  cut  than 
had  previously  been  in  use,  and  invented  that 
beautiful  letter  wThich  is  now  known  as  Italic, 
though,  in  the  first  instance,  it  was  termed  Vene- 
tian, from  Manutius  being  a  resident  of  Venice 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


199 


when  he  brought  it  to  perfection ;  but,  not  long 
after,  it  was  dedicated  to  the  State  of  Italy,  to  pre- 
vent any  dispute  that  might  arise  from  other  nations 
claiming  a  priority,  as  was  the  case  concerning  the 
first  inventor  of  printing. 

Prior  to  the  time  of  Aldus,  the  only  points  used 
in  punctuation  were  the  comma,  colon,  and  full- 
point  or  period ;  but  he  invented  the  semicolon, 
gave  a  better  shape  to  the  comma,  and  connected 
the  punctuation  by  assigning  to  the  various  points 
more  proper  places.  About  the  period  of  his  mar- 
riage, (in  1500,)  he  invented  a  mode  of  imposing  a 
wrork  in  such  a  manner  that  two  languages  might  be 
interleaved  and  bound  together,  or  separately,  at 
the  option  cff  the  purchaser ;  and,  about  the  same 
date,  he  printed  the  first  leaf,  in  folio,  of  a  proposed 
edition  of  the  Bible  in  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and 
Latin  languages ;  so  that  he  has  the  honour  of  hav- 
ing first  suggested  the  plan  of  a  Polyglott  Bible. 
However,  the  plan  failed  of  being  then  carried  into 
effect.  Printing  different  languages  in  opposite 
columns  was  not  accomplished  till  1530. 

The  mind  of  Aldus  was  entirely  engaged  in  the 
care  of  his  printing-house ;  for,  as  soon  as  he  had 
ordered  his  other  necessary  affairs,  he  shut  himself 
up  in  his  study,  where  he  employed  himself  in 


200 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


revising  his  Greek  and  Latin  MSS.,  reading  the 
letters  which  he  received  from  the  learned  out  of  all 
parts  of  the  world,  and  writing  answers  to  them. 
To  prevent  interruption  by  impertinent  visits,  he 
caused  the  following  inscription  to  be  placed  over  his 
door  : — "  Whoever  you  are..  Aldus  earnestly  entreats 
you  to  despatch  your  business  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  then  depart :  unless  you  come  hither,  like  an- 
other Hercules,  to  lend  him  some  friendly  assist- 
ance ;  for  here  ivill  be  work  sufficient  to  employ 
you  and  as  many  as  enter  this  place." 

The  mark  or  device  which  Aldus — who  died  in 
1515 — made  use  of  to  distinguish  works  issued  from 
his  press  was  an  anchor,  round  which  a  dolphin 
seemed  to  twist.  It  must  be  familiar  to  every  ama- 
teur,— Mr.  Pickering,  the  London  publisher,  having 
adopted  the  Aldine  anchor  as  his  device.  To  attempt 
any  description  of  the  Aldine  class  of  tools  would 
be  superfluous  after  so  fair  a  specimen  in  the  illus- 
tration. It  will  be  perceived  they  are  entirely  free 
from  shading,  and,  consequently,  much  more  effect- 
ive for  that  description  of  work  for  which  they  are 
generally  used, — viz.,  blind  tooling.  Both  tools  and 
patterns  are  much  lighter  and  more  ornamental 
than  the  old  Monastic  school,  of  which  the  Aldine 
in  some  degree  partook. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


201 


Upon  the  same  plate  there  is  exhibited  the  ar- 
rangement of  a  back-panel  and  tools  in  the 

MONTAGUE  STYLE, 

"Which  derives  its  name  from  Montague,  (of  the  firm 
of  Montague  and  Johnson,)  a  bookbinder  of  consi- 
derable eminence,  who  flourished  about  the  year 
1780.  The  chief  features  of  this  style  are  corners 
and  centre,  filled  up  with  stops,  &c.  similar  to  illus- 
tration. The  tools  are  of  an  open,  leafy  descrip- 
tion, flowing  from  a  stem  free  from  any  thing  of 
the  scroll  or  curl.  The  panel  given  has  been  copied 
from  a  book  supposed  to  have  been  done  by  Mon- 
tague himself.  The  bar,  or  barleycorn,  on  the  head 
and  tail  and  on  the  bands,  likewise  on  the  insides 
and  edges.  Books  in  volumes,  pieced  red  and 
green  on  adjoining  panels,  frequently  a  lozenge 
of  red  on  the  second  piece,  and  filled  up  with 
corners  and  stops  similar  to  the  other  panels ; 
sometimes  both  pieces  green ;  sides  generally 
plain,  or  a  flowery  flowing  roll,  for  which  a 
two-line  is  now  usually  substituted ;  sewed  on 
raised  bands;  colour,  brown  calf,  sometimes  highly 
sprinkled. 

There  is  also  upon  Plate  I.  an  illustration  of 


202 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


THE  HARLEIAN  STYLE, 

A  style  not  behind  Montague  in  beauty  of  orna- 
ment, and  superior  in  elegance  and  variety  of  ar- 
rangement. Before  entering  into  a  description  of 
the  style,  we  will  give  what  information  we  have 
gained  respecting  its  founder,  trusting  that  it  will 
not  be  unacceptable.  We  find  that  "  Robert  Har- 
ley,  Esq.,  of  Frampton-Bryan,  in  the  county  of 
Hereford,  (the  gentleman  from  whom  the  style 
derives  its  name,)  was  in  1700  chosen  Speaker 
of  the  House  of  Commons,  and  in  May,  1711,  he 
was  created  Earl  of  Oxford  and  Mortimer,  and  five 
days  afterwards  was  promoted  to  the  important 
station  of  Lord  High-Treasurer  of  Great  Britain." 

In  the  Preface  to  the  Harleian  MSS.,  now  in  the 
British  Museum,  speaking  of  Mr.  Harley,  it  states 
that  "his  innate  love  of  books  was  such  as  to  deter- 
mine him  in  early  life  to  undertake  the  formation  of 
a  new  library,  regardless  of  the  disadvantages  with 
which  he  must  contend,  as  great  exertions  had  pre- 
viously been  made  in  collecting  MSS.  for  the  Bodleian, 
Cottonian,  and  other  valuable  though  smaller  collec- 
tions, so  that  the  prospect  of  forming  a  new  library 
with  any  considerable  number  of  MSS.  was  indeed 
very  unpromising.  But,  urged  on  by  a  love  of  learning, 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


203 


and  a  strong  desire  to  search  into  the  transactions 
of  former  ages,  determined  Mr.  Harley  to  purchase 
whatever  curious  MSS.  he  could  meet  with,  more 
especially  such  as  might  in  any  wise  tend  to  explain 
and  illustrate  the  history,  laws,  customs,  and  anti- 
tiquities,  of  his  native  country.  The  principal  point 
which  the  founder  of  the  Harleian  Library  had  in 
view  was  the  establishment  of  a  MS.  English  His- 
torical Library,  and  the  rescuing  from  oblivion  and 
destruction  of  such  valuable  records  of  our  national 
antiquities  as  had  escaped  the  diligence  of  former 
collectors. 

"  At  the  decease  of  his  son,  (Edward  Lord  Har- 
ley, in  1741,)  who  had  been  a  powerful  auxiliary  in 
enriching  the  collection,  the  MS.  library  consisted 
of  nearly  8000  volumes.  At  the  death  of  Mr.  Har- 
ley, his  library  was  bequeathed  to  the  University 
of  Oxford.  To  such  men  we  owe  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude for  the  improvement  of  the  art  and  for  intro- 
ducing a  style  of  finishing  that  still  remains  the 
admiration  of  the  connoisseur. 

"  The  books  in  the  Harleian  Collection  are  princi- 
pally bound  in  red  morocco,  well  sewed  on  raised 
bands,  tight  backs,  (as  were  all  the  books  of  that 
period,)  Dutch  marble  end-papers,  and  gilt  edges." 

Harleian  tools  are  more  wiry  and  much  closer 


204 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


than  the  Montague,  interspersed  with  fine-line  curls, 
fine  pinhead  curve-lines,  rosettes,  acorns,  solid  stops, 
single  rings,  and  cross-buns. 

The  border  upon  the  same  plate  illustrates  the 
Harleian  pane-side.  In  the  Harleian  style  there 
are  three  distinctly  different  arrangements  for  sides 
and  backs,  (independent  of  the  flights  of  fancy  in 
which  finishers  indulge.)  There  are  on  the  sides, — 
first,  the  two  or  three-line  fillet,  stopped ;  second, 
the  Harleian  tooled  or  spikey  border, — a  style  of 
finishing  peculiarly  neat  and  rich,  and  well  adapted 
for  nearly  every  description  of  books. 

On  original  Harleys  the  tooling  went  right  on 
from  corner  to  corner,  as  if  worked  by  a  very 
broad  roll ;  but  modern  finishers  prefer  a  made-up 
corner, — that  is,  a  tool  or  tools  projecting  at  right 
angles  with  the  corner,  up  to  which  the  border-tools 
are  worked,  thus  rendering  the  whole  more  harmo- 
nious and  perfect.  The  spikey  border  is  worked  up 
to  a  two  or  three-line  fillet,  with  the  cat-tooth  roll 
worked  on  the  outer  line  towards  the  edge  of  the 
board.  (We  may  here  mention  that  the  cat-tooth, 
although  purely  French,  may  be  also  considered 
Harleian,  as  it  is  on  all  the  originals  we  have  seen, 
and  accords  wTell  with  the  style.)  Third,  the  pane 
or  panelled  side,  similar  to  the  illustration.  Some- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


205 


times  a  double  pane  was  formed  by  throwing  in  a 
two-line  fillet  and  working  a  roll  on  the  inside. 

On  the  backs  there  is  the  upright  centre,  the 
diamond  centre  and  corner,  as  in  the  illustration, 
and  the  semi-circle  with  open  centre. 

The  diamond  centre  was  not  much  used  on  books 
of  light  reading,  such  as  novels,  but  rather  on 
works  of  a  graver  nature,  such  as  divinity,  philo- 
sophy, and  history.  It  seems  to  have  been  the 
favourite  style  of  the  earl's  binders ;  and  we  must 
acknowledge  that  a  book  never  looks  so  like  a  book 
as  when  finished  with  a  good  diamond  centre  and 
corner.  In  forming  the  diamond  centre,  the  spikes 
ought  to  project  beyond  the  stops,  as  it  is  then  more 
graceful  and  pleasing  to  the  eye  than  when  the  stop 
and  spikes  are  flush  one  with  the  other. 

THE  FONTHILL  STYLE. 

The  following  account  of  Fonthill  Abbey  will,  no 
doubt,  be  acceptable,  in  connection  with  our  de- 
scription of  the  "  style"  which  has  derived  its  name 
therefrom. 

"Fonthill  Abbey,  in  Wiltshire,  justly  ranks  as 
one  of  the  grandest  structures  in  the  United  King- 
dom, combining  all  the  elegance  of  modern  archi- 
tecture with  the  sublime  grandeur  of  the  conventual 

18 


206 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


style.  It  was  built  about  the  end  of  the  last 
century,  at  an  expense  of  <£400,000,  by  Mr.  William 
Beckford,  son  of  the  public-spirited  Lord  Mayor  of 
London  of  that  name,  whose  statue  now  stands  in 
Guildhall,  with  a  copy  of  the  memorable  speech 
and  remonstrance  which  he  addressed  to  George  III. 
in  1770.  Succeeding  to  almost  unbounded  wealth, 
(nearly  <£100,000  a  year,)  endowed  with  an  extra- 
ordinary mind,  literary  talents  of  the  highest  order, 
and  an  exquisite  taste  for  the  arts,  the  young  owner 
of  Fonthill  Abbey  determined  to  erect  an  edifice 
uncommon  in  design,  and  to  adorn  it  with  splen- 
dour ;  and,  with  an  energy  and  enthusiasm  of  which 
duller  minds  can  form  but  a  poor  conception,  he 
soon  had  his  determination  carried  into  effect. 

"The  gorgeous  edifice  reared  for  Mr. B.  contained 
many  magnificent  suites  of  apartments.  We  need 
only  notice  two,  denominated  St.  Michael's,  and 
King  Edward  the  Third's  Gallery.  They  are  of 
the  most  stately  and  interesting  description  that 
can  be  conceived  or  imagined:  the  former  filled 
with  the  choicest  books  and  many  articles  of  vertu  ; 
the  latter  also  employed  as  a  library,  but  enriched 
with  a  much  greater  number  of  choice  and  curious 
productions,  and  terminating  in  an  oratory,  unique 
for  its  elegant  proportions  and  characteristic  con- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


207 


sistency.  It  is  at  once  rich  and  luxurious  as  the 
temple  of  which  it  forms  an  appendage, — sombre 
and  soothing  as  the  religious  feelings  with  which  its 
designation  associates  it. 

*  Meditation  here  may  think  down  hours  and  moments ; 
Here  the  heart  may  give  a  useful  lesson  to  the  head, 
And  learning  wiser  grow  without  its  books/ 

It  is  but  the  drawing  of  a  curtain,  and  not  only  all 
the  glitter  of  the  adjoining  splendour,  but  all  the 
pomps  and  vanities  of  the  world  seem  to  the  medi- 
tative mind  to  be  shut  out  forever.  Perhaps  its 
pensive  cast  is  more  deeply  experienced  from  the 
immediate  contrast :  dazzled  with  objects  of  show, 
fatigued  wTith  the  examination  of  rare  and  costly 
commodities,  and  bewildered  with  the  multitude  of 
precious  devices  which  everywhere  surround  him, 
the  soul  of  the  visitant  retires  with  tefifold  delight 
to  the  narrow  walls  of  the  oratory." 

Our  brief  description  of  the  Fonthill  style  cannot 
fail  to  strike  the  reader  as  being  remarkably  appro- 
priate to  the  sombre  character  of  that  part  of  the 
abbey  which  contained  the  library, — the  one  being 
in  strict  keeping  with  the  other. 

Half-bound  olive-brown  morocco;  sewed  on  raised 
bands ;  gilt  tops ;  marble-paper  sides  and  insides ; 


208 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


•with  no  finishing  whatever,  except  the  lettering  and 
date  at  bottom. 

A  LA  JANSENISTE. 

This  chaste  and  beautiful  style  is  said  to  be 
derived  from  a  religious  order,  and  is  highly 
esteemed  by  amateurs.  Books  bound  h  la  janse- 
niste  are  full-bound  Turkey  or  Levant  morocco, 
with  a  broad  turn  in  on  the  inside  of  the  board,  gilt 
edges  with  a  fine  one-line  fillet  each  side  of  the 
bands  and  head  and  tail,  and  neatly  mitred  on  the 
side,  all  in  blind,  there  being  no  gilding  on  the 
outside  but  the  lettering ;  on  the  inside  a  broad- 
tooled  border  of  very  fine  tooling  in  gold,  a  fine 
two-line  in  gold  on  the  edges  of  the  boards,  and  the 
cap  of  the  headbands  tipped  with  the  same. 

*    THE  CAMBRIDGE  STYLE 

Is  practised,  we  may  say  exclusively,  on  theologi- 
cal works.  At  what  period  it  gained  its  name  is 
uncertain ;  doubtless,  it  was  the  style  in  which  some 
of  the  university  libraries  were  chiefly  bound ;  and, 
in  all  probability,  the  idea  of  the  Harley  paned 
side  was  first  copied  from  it.  Books  bound  in  this 
style  are  sewed  on  raised  bands,  brown  calf,  pane- 
sprinkled  sides,  Dutch  marble  end-papers,  and  red 


2 


Modem  Monastic. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


209 


edges.  Back  pieced  with  red  russia,  and  a  two- 
line  fillet  head  and  tail,  and  on  each  side  of  the 
bands,  blind.  Sides,  two-line  fillet  close  to  the 
edge  and  on  each  side  of  the  pane,  with  a  narrow 
flower-roll  worked  on  each  side  of  the  pane,  close 
to  the  lines.  The  fillets  in  the  pane  to  be  con- 
nected together  at  the  corners  with  the  two-line 
fillet,  and  a  tool  worked  from  the  corner  of  the 
pane  towards  the  edge  of  the  book,  all  blind.  Bar- 
roll  on  the  edges,  in  gold. 

MODERNIZED  MONASTIC. 

This  style  is  now  in  great  vogue,  under  the  ap- 
pellation of  the  antique.  The  materials  employed  are 
divinity  calf  and  brown  or  Carmelite  morocco,  with 
very  thick  boards,  edges  either  red,  brown,  or 
matted  gilt ;  very  high  raised  bands.  The  style  of 
ornament  is  illustrated  by  Plate  II.,  intended  for  a 
side-stamp  to  be  done  by  the  press.  It  can  also  be 
done  by  hand,  with  rolls,  fillets,  and  hand-stamps, 
omitting  the  broad  and  narrow  fillet,  and  substi- 
tuting either  a  one  or  two-line,  working  the  circles 
with  gouges.  The  tools  are  all  worked  blind.  This 
style  of  binding,  when  appropriate  to  the  book,  pro- 
duces a  very  pleasing  effect. 

18* 


210 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


ARABESQUE. 

"  The  term  is  more  commonly  applied  to  the  species 
of  ornament  used  in  adorning  the  walls,  pavements, 
and  roofs  of  Moorish  and  Arabian  buildings,  con- 
sisting of  an  intricate  heterogeneous  admixture  of 
fruits,  flowers,  scrolls,  and  other  objects,  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  animals,  the  representation  of  which  is 
forbidden  by  the  Mohammedan  religion.  This  kind 
of  ornament  is  now  frequently  used  in  the  adorning 
of  books,  plate,  &c.  Foliage  very  similar  to  that 
used  by  the  Arabians,  intermixed  with  griffins,  &c, 
were  frequently  employed  on  the  walls  and  friezes 
of  temples,  and  on  many  of  the  ancient  Greek 
vases;  on  the  walls  of  the  baths  of  Titus,  at 
Pompeii,  and  many  other  places.'' — Craig  s  Uni- 
versal Dictionary. 

As  regards  book-finishing,  we  have  looked  into 
more  than  one  authority,  and  are  really  unable  to 
define  what  the  "  arabesque"  style  is  or  ought  to  be. 
The  well-understood  term  "roan  embossed"  is,  in 
our  opinion,  the  nearest  approach  to  it  at  the 
present  day. 

Plate  III.  is  an  adaptation  of  an  old  German 
design  for  embossing.  The  figure  is  raised,  the  plate 
being  worked  with  a  counter,  in  a  powerful  press. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


211 


This  style  can  only  be  executed  upon  publishers' 
work  where  there  is  a  quantity  of  the  same  book 
to  be  done  in  this  style.  By  it  a  good  effect  is  pro- 
duced upon  an  inferior  material  and  at  a  trifling 
cost.  The  covers  are  embossed  before  they  are 
applied  to  the  volumes,  and  in  order  to  preserve  the 
sharpness  of  the  design  they  must  be  covered  with 
glue  and  not  pressed  afterwards. 

ANTIQUE  OAK  AND  OTHER  BINDINGS. 

Great  varieties  of  style  in  the  covers  of  bindings 
have  been  introduced  within  the  last  few  years ; 
but  these  must  be  left  to  the  imitative  powers  of 
the  skilful  workman,  as  no  written  description 
would  give  the  requisite  information  and  guidance. 
Should  he  be  desirous  of  executing  these,  he  will  do 
well  to  study  some  good  specimen.  Among  others 
may  be  mentioned  the  Antique  Oak  Bindings, 
adopted  by  Mr.  Murray,  for  his  "  Illuminated 
Prayer-Book, "  and  Messrs.  Longman  and  Co.,  for 
" Gray's  Elegy."  Also  the  Iron  Binding, — viz.: 
covers  in  imitation  of  cast-iron, — in  which  Messrs. 
Longman  and  Co.  have  had  bound  the  "  Parables 
of  our  Lord."  Bibles  and  Prayers  are  now  fre- 
quently bound  to  imitate  the  antique,  having  heavy 


212 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


boards  with  clasps  and  corners,  and  finished  in  the 
monastic  style. 

GROLIER  STYLE. 

This  beautiful  style  of  ornament  is  so  well  illus- 
trated by  Plate  IV.  that  it  scarcely  needs  any 
remark.  We  will  merely  observe  that  this  style  is 
well  calculated  for  hand-work,  being  entirely  super- 
ficial in  character.  The  pattern  presented  can  be 
worked  with  a  one-line  fillet  and  gouges,  with  a  few 
leaves  of  a  conventional  character.  The  design 
should  be  first  traced  upon  paper  of  the  proper  size, 
the  paper  lightly  tipped  at  the  corners  with  paste 
upon  the  side,  then  worked  with  the  fillet  and 
gouges  through  the  paper  upon  the  leather.  The 
paper  is  then  removed,  and  the  blind  impression 
appears  upon  the  side.  All  vestiges  of  the  paper 
are  carefully  washed  off,  and  the  pattern  pencilled 
in, — that  is,  each  portion  of  the  figure  is  carefully 
traced  wTith  a  fine  camel's-hair  pencil  saturated 
with  glaire.  When  dry  it  is  lightly  passed  over  with 
*  a  piece  of  cotton  in  which  sweet  oil  has  been 
dropped,  and  the  gold  leaf  laid  on.  The  pattern  is 
then  reworked  upon  the  gold. 

The  design  upon  Plate  V.  is  a  modern  elabora- 
tion of  the  Grolier,  and  is  intended  for  a  side-plate, 


5 


Modernized  Crolier 


) 


✓ 


7. 


JJra,mt  after  cl  design,  by  JTolbein.^4.J). 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


213 


to  be  executed  by  the  stamping-press.  It  is  well 
calculated  for  blind  or  blank  stamping,  the  solid  line 
producing  by  its  intersections  a  fine  effect.  By  omit- 
ting the  inner  and  working  the  out  lines,  this  elabora- 
tion of  lines  and  circles  can  be  worked  by  hand. 

The  Louis  Quatorze  is  illustrated,  by  a  pattern 
for  a  back,  upon  Plate  VI.  This  can  be  worked 
either  by  hand-stamps  or  by  the  press.  The  centre 
pattern  is  a  very  pretty  illustration  of  the  prevail- 
ing style  of  backs  for  case-work.  This  must  be 
stamped  before  the  cover  is  applied  to  the  book. 

The  third  pattern  for  flat  backs  is  adapted  for 
hand-tools,  and  when  executed  upon  light-coloured 
English  calf  produces  a  beautiful  appearance.  From 
its  light,  graceful  character,  it  is  well  suited  to 
modern  poetry  and  light  literature  in  general. 
This  style  gives  scope  to  an  almost  endless  variety 
of  patterns,  regulated  only  by  the  taste  of  the 
finisher. 

Plate  VII.  is  a  design  drawn  by  Holbein  for  a 
side-ornament  in  metal.  This  beautiful  pattern  can 
be  adapted  either  to  hand  or  press  work.  Its  graceful 
and  harmonious  proportions  should  be  well  studied 
by  the  young  workman. 

Upon  Plate  VIII.  will  be  found  specimens  of  v 
rolls  and  hand-stamps  used  in  finishing.    The  num- 


214 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


bers  affixed  refer  to  the  order  of  arrangement  in 
the  Book  of  Patterns  published  by  Gaskill,  Copper 
&  Fry,  containing  over  two  thousand  specimens 
with  their  prices  attached.  They  have  also  an  im- 
mense number  of  pattern*,  executed  since  the  pub- 
lication of  their  book  for  binders  in  various  parts 
of  the  country. 

Having  given  the  prominent  distinct  styles, — of 
which  there  are,  however,  many  combinations,  both 
of  style,  ornament,  and  tooling,  originating  more 
nondescripts  than  we  have  space  to  treat  upon, — 
we  proceed  to  the  gilding,  trusting  that  what  has 
been  pointed  out  to  the  attention  of  the  young 
workman  will  induce  him  to  neglect  no  opportunities 
of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  works  of  artists  of 
celebrity,  not  for  the  purpose  of  servile  imitation, 
but  to  examine  their  adaptations  of  ornamental  art 
as  a  study,  to  enable  him  to  trace  superficial  decora- 
tion back  to  its  originators.  Having  acquired  this 
knowledge,  he  may  by  his  treatment  of  ornament 
take  rank  as  an  artist. 

The  examples  given  will  be  sufficient  for  the  in- 
tellectual workman  to  conceive*  many  patterns 
which  his  taste  will  suggest,  forming  an  infinite 
variety  of  beautiful  designs.  In  all  combinations, 
a  rigorous  observance  of  the  symmetrical  propor- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


215 


tions  of  the  tools  must  be  his  first  care,  so  that  the 
union  of  any  number  of  designs  present  a  form 
agreeable  and  chaste.  It  would  be  superfluous  to 
add  more;  but  from  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
on  closing  the  directions  for  the  ornamental  depart- 
ment of  binding,  it  may  be  repeated  that  there  is 
no  greater  evidence  of  the  ignorance  or  carelessness 
of  the  workman  than  an  ornament  of  any  kind 
unevenly  or  unequally  worked.  Let  the  young 
binder  especially  bear  this  in  mind :  it  is  a  defect 
which  nothing  can  effectually  remedy;  instead  of 
an  embellishment  it  is  a  detriment  to  the  binding, 
and  his  reputation  as  a  clever  workman  is  conse- 
quently placed  in  jeopardy. 

Preparatory  to  gilding,  the  back*  must  be  com- 
passed off  and  carefully  marked  with  a  folding-stick 
and  a  straight-edge  or  piece  of  vellum,  wherever  it 
is  intended  to  run  a  straight  line.  This  serves  as  a 
guide  when  the  gold  is  laid  on.  For  work  of  the 
best  class,  the  fillets  must  be  first  put  in  blind,  and 
the  tooling  done  in  the  same  manner.  For  sides 
where  the  design  is  elaborate,  or  a  degree  of  per- 
fection in  the  tooling  is  desirable,  the  entire  pattern 
must  be  first  worked  in  blind,  and,  after  being 
washed  with  a  dilution  of  oxalic  acid  or  a  thin  paste- 
wash,  it  must  be  carefully  pencilled  in  with  the 


216 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


glaire-pencil ;  but  this  comes  more  appropriately 
under  the  head  of 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  GILDING. 

To  operate  successfully,  it  will  be  necessary  that 
the  workman  provide  himself  with  good  size,  glaire, 
and  oil.  The  first  is  prepared  by  boiling  fine  vellum 
slips  till  a  good  size  is  produced,  of  a  consistency 
that  will  lie  equally  on  the  volume  without  blotches 
or  ropes,  and  must  be  used  warm.  The  glaire  is 
formed  of  the  whites  of  eggs,  beaten  well  with  a 
frotlier  till  it  is  perfectly  clear,  and  the  froth  taken 
off.  This  liquid  will  improve  by  keeping,  and 
should  never  be  used  new  if  it  can  possibly  be 
avoided.  For  'morocco  bindings,  the  glaire  is  some- 
times diluted  with  water.  The  oil  adopted  by 
various  binders  is  different.  Some  use  palm-oil  for 
calf,  sweet  oil  for  morocco  or  russia ;  others  prefer 
hog's  lard,  or  fine  mould-candle,  for  light-coloured 
calf;  but  sweet  oil  is  well  adapted  for  almost  every 
kind  of  leather.  Vellum-size  is  the  best  prepa- 
ration for  coloured  calf.  On  books  thus  prepared, 
the  glaire  must  be  applied  two  or  three  times,  taking 
care  that  each  coat  is  quite  dry  before  the  next  is 
added,  and  that  it  lies  perfectly  even  on  the  whole 
surface,  free  from  globules  or  any  substance  what- 


ART   OF  BOOKBINDING. 


217 


ever.  Great  care  is  required  in  preparing  coloured 
calf;  for,  if  there  be  too  much  body  in  the  prepa- 
ration, it  will  crack  on  the  surface  and  present  a 
bad  appearance.  Morocco  and  roan  will  not  re- 
quire more  than  one  coat,  and,  where  practicable, 
only  on  such  parts  of  the  morocco  as  are  to  be  gilt. 
The  state  of  the  weather  must  ever  determine  the 
number  of  volumes  to  be  proceeded  with  at  one 
time,  as  in  the  winter  double  the  number  may  be 
glaired  to  what  the  dryness  of  a  summer's  day  will 
admit  of,  so  as  to  work  with  safety  and  produce 
effect.  A  good  paste-wash  before  glairing  is  always 
advisable,  as  it  prevents  the  glaire  from  sinking 
into  the  leather. 

In  preparing  glaire  from  the  egg  for  immediate 
use,  a  few  drops  of  oxalic  acid  added  thereunto  will 
be  found  to  be  of  essential  service. 

The  volumes  being  thus  prepared,  the  operation  of 

GILDING  THE  BACK 

Is  commenced  by  oiling  slightly,  with  a  small  piece 
of  cotton,  the  whole  length  of  the  back.  If  the 
book  is  merely  intended  to  be  filleted  for  the  economy 
of  the  gold,  small  strips  are  cut  on  the  gold-cushion, 
attached  to  the  heated  fillet  by  rolling  it  slightly 
over,  and  affixed  to  the  volume  by  passing  it  firmly 

19 


218 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


on  the  lines  previously  marked.  But  if  the  back  is 
to  be  fully  ornamented,  it  will  be  necessary  to  cover 
it  entirely  with  gold-leaf. 

The  hand-stamps  should  be  disposed  on  the  table 
before  him,  so  as  to  be  selected  with  the  greatest 
facility,  and  in  readiness  for  every  purpose  for 
which  they  may  be  required. 

To  lay  on  the  gold,  the  workman  takes  a  book  of 
the  metal,  opens  the  outside  leaf,  and  passes  the 
knife  underneath  the  gold ;  writh  this  he  raises  it, 
carries  it  steadily  on  to  the  cushion,  and  spreads  it 
perfectly  even,  by  a  light  breath  on  the  middle  of 
the  leaf,  taking  care  also  that  not  the  least  current 
of  air  has  access  to  the  room  he  may  be  operating 
in.  Afterwards  the  gold  must  be  cut  with  the  gold- 
knife  to  the  breadth  and  length  of  the  places  to  be 
covered,  by  laying  the  edge  upon  it  and  moving 
the  knife  slightly  backwards  and  forwards.  Then 
rub  upon  the  back  the  oil,  and  apply  the  gold  upon 
the  places  to  be  ornamented  with  a  cotton  or  tip, 
rubbed  on  the  forehead  or  hair  to  give  it  a  slight 
humidity  and  cause  the  gold  to  adhere.  But  if  the 
whole  of  the  back  is  to  be  gilt,  it  will  be  more  eco- 
nomical to  entirely  cover  it  by  cutting  the  gold 
m  slips  the  breadth  of  the  book  and  applying 
the  back  on  it;  afterwards  press  it  close  with  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


219 


cotton,  with  which  any  breaks  in  the  gold  must  also 
be  covered,  by  placing  small  slips  where  required. 
The  humidity  of  the  hair  or  forehead  will  be  suf- 
ficient to  make  the  gold  adhere  to  the  cotton  or 
other  instrument  with  which  it  may  be  conveyed  to 
the  book.  The  fillet  or  roll  must  then  be  heated  to 
a  degree  proper  for  the  substance  on  which  it  is  to 
be  worked.  Calf  will  require  them  hotter  than  mo- 
rocco and  roan,  and  these  warmer  than  russia  and 
vellum.  To  ascertain  their  proper  heat,  they  are 
applied  on  a  damp  sponge,  or  rubbed  with  the  finger 
wetted,  and  by  the  degree  of  boiling  that  the  water 
makes,  their  fitness  is  known;  but  a  little  exercise 
and  habit  will  render  this  easy  of  judging.  To 
further  insure  this,  the  roll  or  pallet  is  passed  over 
the  cap  of  the  headband ;  if  too  hot,  the  gold  will 
be  dull;  if  too  cool,  the  impression  will  be  bad, 
from  the  gold  not  adhering  in  every  part. 

After  the  gold  is  laid  on,  the  volume  is  laid  upon 
the  side,  with  the  back  elevated,  and  the  workman 
proceeds  to  mitre  the  fillets  that  run  lengthwise  of 
the  back,  commencing  at  the  line  that  has  been 
traced  across  the  back,  by  pressing  lightly  with  the 
point  of  the  mitred  roll  and  running  it  carefully 
till  near  the  line  that  marks  the  end  of  the  panel; 
then  lift  the  fillet  and  turn  it  with  the  finger  until 


220 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  other  or  reverse  mitre,  or  nick  in  the  fillet,  is 
reached;  then  place  the  fillet  in  the  lines  already 
gilt,  adjusting  it  with  the  left  hand  until  the  extreme 
point  of  the  mitre  will  just  reach  the  line  traced 
across.  After  both  edges  of  the  back  have  been 
done  along  the  joint  in  this  way,  the  volume  is  then 
placed  evenly  in  the  finishing-press,  and  the  panels 
completed  by  mitreing  the  fillets  that  run  across  the 
back.  The  entire  operation  requires  the  utmost 
care,  in  order  to  have  the  lines  parallel  and  the 
mitres  perfectly  even  and  true.  No  ornament  that 
may  be  afterwards  worked  upon  the  back,  beautiful 
as  it  may  be,  can  atone  for  negligence  or  want  of 
skill  in  the  mitreing  and  running  of  the  fillets.  As 
a  matter  of  economy,  sometimes  the  back  is  run  up ; 
that  is,  instead  of  stopping  where  the  lines  or  bands 
intersect,  the  roll  is  run  up  the  back  from  one  end 
to  the  other,  without  stopping;  and,  after  wiping 
the  gold  off  along  the  joint  outside  the  fillet,  it  is 
run  across  the  back  on  each  side  of  the  bands,  and 
head  and  tail  in  the  same  manner.  After  the  back 
is  mitred,  the  finisher  will  proceed  with  the  or- 
namental tools,  and  work  them  carefully  off.  In 
placing  them,  great  attention  should  be  paid  to  their 
occupying  precisely  the  same  place  in  each  panel  5, 
and,  in  order  to  present  an  agreeable  effect,  the 


ART   OF  BOOKBINDING. 


221 


tools  should  correspond  in  detail,  and  there  should 
be  a  geometrical  fitness  governing  the  selection  and 
arrangement  of  the  tools. 

The  judicious  choice  of  ornaments  for  the  back  is 
of  the  utmost  importance.  For  instance,  such  as 
represent  animals,  insects,  or  flowers,  which  are  only 
proper  for  wTorks  of  natural  history,  entomology,  and 
botany,  should  never  appear  on  the  backs  of  works 
on  general  literature,  as  it  would  be  an  evidence  of 
bad  taste  or  carelessness. 

Every  tool  should  be  beautiful  in  itself,  because 
no  accumulation  of  misshapen  tools  can  make  one 
beautiful  ornament.  There  is  no  objection  to  scrolls, 
leaves,  flowers,  stops,  or  any  of  the  usual  kind  of 
ornaments ;  only  let  them  all  be  in  themselves  beau- 
tiful. It  is  appropriate  to  introduce  a  harp  on  a 
book  of  songs,  a  stag's  head  on  a  book  on  hunting, 
a  recognised  ecclesiastical  pattern  upon  a  book  of 
divinity  or  a  prayer-book ;  a  Greek  or  Koman  de- 
sign upon  a  classical  work,  or  a  Gothic  design  upon 
a  book  on  Gothic  architecture. 

Should  it  be  desired  to  present  on  the  back  simply 
an  ornamental  lettering-piece  at  the  head,  diverging 
to  a  point  towards  the  middle  of  the  book,  and  the 
rest  of  the  volume  left  plain,  it  will  be  necessary  to 

impress  the  tools  previous  to  glairing,  and  then  apply 

19* 


222 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  glaire  with  a  camel's-hair  pencil  in  the  indenta- 
tions the  tools  have  formed.  When  dry,  cover  with 
gold  and  reimpress  the  tool  in  the  marks  previously 
made,  and  letter  the  title.  This  proceeding  is 
adopted  in  every  pattern  where  part  of  the  back  is 
intended  to  be  left  dull  by  being  free  from  glaire. 

The  title  must  next  engage  attention,  and  the 
letters  placed  thereon,  either  singly  or  together, 
with  brass  type  properly  fixed  in  the  hand-chase. 
If  with  single  letters,  the  tail  of  the  volume  must 
be  lowered  about  an  inch,  and  the  workman  draw  a 
thread  of  silk  across  the  gold  to  direct  the  heads  of 
the  letters.  Taking  each  singly,  he  places  them  on 
the  back  writh  the  right  hand,  steadying  the  letter 
with  the  forefinger  of  the  left.  If  the  title  is  set  in 
the  chase,  place  the  volume  evenly  in  the  press,  and 
apply  the  title,  guided  by  the  thumb,  firmly  across. 
The  title  in  either  case  must  be  justified,  to  produce 
the  best  effect,  taking  care  to  avoid,  if  possible, 
having  two  lines  of  the  same  length;  and,  where  the 
title  can  be  measured,  as  in  the  type  it  may,  the 
exact  centre  should  be  ascertained  before  applying 
it  heated  on  the  gold.  The  back  may  now  be  con- 
sidered finished.  The  gold  which  has  not  been  im- 
pressed by  the  gilding  tools  must  be  well  rubbed  off 
with  the  gold-rag  and  minutely  cleared  off  with  a 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


223 


piece  of  fine  flannel  or  India-rubber,  so  as  to  display 
the  delicate  lines  of  the  ornaments  as  perfectly  and 
clearly  as  possible.  Attention  should  be  paid  to 
this  particular ;  for,  let  a  book  be  finished  in  the 
most  tasteful  manner  possible,  unless  well  cleared 
off  the  effect  is  entirely  lost.  If  in  calf,  it  must 
now  be  polished,  and  the  squares  and  edges  of  the 
boards  proceeded  with. 

GILDING  THE  SQUARES,  ETC. 

For  gilding  the  edges  of  the  boards,  the  gold 
may  be  taken  as  for  the  bands, — on  the  roll, — and 
the  volume  held  firmly  with  the  left  hand;  but,  if 
large,  put  into  the  press  between  boards,  so  as  not 
to  injure  the  back.  Where  the  ornament  of  the 
inside-square  is  simple,  the  like  proceeding  of  ap- 
plying the  gold  will  be  proper,  resting  the  board 
open  on  an  elevation  equal  to  the  thickness  of  the 
book.  But  if  the  square  has  been  left  large,  with  a 
leather  joint,  so  as  to  admit  of  being  more  elabo- 
rately filled  up,  the  gold  must  be  laid  on  the  whole 
space  with  the  tip  and  pressed  close  with  the  cotton. 
The  gilding  is  then  proceeded  with  in  the  same 
manner  as  detailed  in  the  directions  for  the  side- 
ornaments. 


224 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


GILDING  THE  SIDES. 

The  sides,  from  affording  more  ample  space,  are 
the  part  of  the  volume  wher.eon  the  workman  can 
and  is  expected  to  show  his  taste  and  skill  in  gilding. 
The  proceedings  are  the  same  as  before  pointed  out 
where  a  simple  roll  is  the  only  ornament  round; 
but  where  the  pattern  is  extensive  and  the  details 
minute,  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  whole  worked 
blind  upon  the  volume  before  glairing,  and  then 
apply  the  gold.  If  one  side  is  done  at  a  time,  the 
book  is  taken  by  the  leaves  with  the  left  hand,  the 
board  intended  to  be  covered  resting  on  the  thumb, 
and  the  gold  laid  on  as  for  the  squares,  either  over 
the  whole  side  or  on  such  parts  as  the  pattern  indi- 
cates. If  the  volume  be  small,  the  gold  may  be 
laid  on  both  sides  and  the  leaves  of  the  volume 
placed  in  the  finishing-press,  allowing  the  boards  to 
rest  on  its  surface.  This  affords  greater  facility  for 
placing  uniformly  and  systematically  the  fillets,  rolls, 
and  tools  necessary  to  complete  the  design  on  each 
side.  Where  the  pattern  has  not  been  marked,  and 
one  side  only  proceeded  with,  the  roll  is  run  in  a 
straight  line,  which  should  be  made,  previous  to 
covering  with  gold,  on  the  board  by  the  joint  of  the 
back,  the  volume  turned  for  the  head  and  tail,  and 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


225 


laid  open  upon  the  board  for  the  fore-edge,  to  give 
it  the  firmness  necessary. 

Directions  for  executing  the  most  elaborate  de- 
signs have  been  previously  given,  whereby  it  will  be 
perceived  that  it  requires  but  taste,  and  a  just  ob- 
servation of  similarity  of  design  and  the  geometrical 
proportions  of  the  ornaments,  to  execute  them  to 
any  extent.  One  variation  from  this  rule  will  de- 
stroy the  effect  of  the  whole  pattern :  it  will  there- 
fore be  to  the  benefit  of  such  as  are  not  conversant 
fully  with  the  art,  to  assist  themselves  with  designs 
drawn  on  cartridge-paper,  which  may  be  marked 
through  on  the  leather  and  the  pattern  executed  in 
gold  or  blind  as  required.  In  all,  the  gilding  will 
be  the  same,  either  to  glaire  over  the  whole  cover 
after  the  design  is  stamped,  or,  if  the  plain  part  is  to 
be  left  dull,  by  glairing  the  impressions  only  with  a 
camel' s-hair  pencil. 

GILDING  ON  SILK  AND  VELVET. 

The  proceedings  necessary  to  be  adopted  for 
gilding  on  silk  and  velvet  are,  from  the  delicate 
nature  of  these  substances,  different  from  those  laid 
down  for  gilding  on  leather.  The  glaire  used  on 
the  latter  would  tend  to  stain,  and  therefore  it  is 
necessary  to  employ  other  means  for  fixing  the  gold. 


226 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


This  is  by  drying  the  whites  of  eggs  and  reducing 
them  to  a  powder,  which  is  put  into  a  small  bottle 
and  tightly  tied  over  with  a  piece  of  fine  muslin, 
by  which  means  it  is  equally  distributed  on  the 
space  intended  to  be  gilt.  Gum-sandarac  is  now, 
however,  more  generally  used  for  this  purpose, 
although  some  use  gum-copal.  The  powder  being 
applied,  the  gold  is  cut  in  slips  and  taken  on  a  roll 
of  a  circumference  equal  to  the  length  of  the  space 
intended  for  it  to  be  applied  on.  The  design  is  then 
firmly  impressed,  and  the  superfluous  gold  brushed 
off  with  a  soft  brush  or  clean  piece  of  cotton,  and 
the  other  side  alike  executed.  In  lettering,  or 
fixing  single  tools  on  the  back,  the  same  proceedings 
must  be  adopted,  by  taking  the  gold  thereon  and 
applying  it  to  the  back  or  side  of  the  volume. 
Where  the  design  is  large,  or  elaborate  work  is  re- 
quired, it  will  be  better  executed  in  the  following 
manner : — The  design  must  be  drawn  on  paper,  and 
worked  through  on  silk,  after  which  the  impression 
must  be  carefully  glaired  with  a  camel's-hair  pencil ; 
when  dry,  rub  the  parts  intended  for  the  gold  with 
the  finger  passed  through  the  hair  or  with  a  clean 
rag  slightly  oiled,  and,  after  laying  on  the  gold  as 
directed  for  other  styles,  reimpress  the  tools,  and 
whip  off  the  superfluous  gold  with  a  clean  flannel. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


227 


As  there  is  no  moisture  in  silk,  the  workman 
must  not  lay  on  at  one  time  so  much  as  he  does  on 
calf  and  other  substances. 

ILLUMINATED  BINDING. 
This  style,  an  invention  of  the  French,  was  for 
some  time  kept  by  them  with  the  greatest  secrecy. 
It  is  a  binding  of  the  utmost  magnificence,  uniting 
the  varied  beauties  of  the  arabesque  and  gilt  orna- 
ment, blended  with  the  illuminated  decorations  seen 
on  early  MSS.  before  the  invention  of  printing. 
When  executed  in  the  best  manner,  nothing  can  ex- 
ceed the  beauty  of  the  whole  coup-d'oeil,  rivalling, 
as  it  does,  in  splendour,  the  most  elaborately-finished 
design  of  the  painter.  The  time  required  to  be 
devoted,  on  its  first  introduction,  to  a  single  speci- 
men, appeared  likely  to  confine  this  sort  of  ornament 
to  the  finest  treasures  of  literature,  and  even  to 
them  in  a  limited  degree.  The  improvements,  how- 
ever, in  machinery  and  the  rapid  advance  of  the  arts 
have,  in  a  few  years,  brought  this  style  into  very 
general  use  for  albums  and  other  works  where  em- 
bellished covers  are  adopted;  and  even  on  the  cheap 
roan  bindings  used  for  Bibles,  Prayers,  &c.  it  may 
be  seen ;  though  in  effecting  this  cheapness  it  must 
be  premised  that  a  less  durable  method  is  adopted. 


228 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


To  execute  the  more  elaborate  designs,  practice 
and  a  taste  for  the  arts  "will  here  alone  serve  the 
workman  ;  without  these  requisites  it  would  be  futile 
to  make  the  attempt.  But,  as  the  proceedings  re- 
quire to  be  executed  with  the  utmost  care,  we  shall 
enter  fully  into  such  as  are  new,  and,  from  their 
importance,  at  the  risk  of  being  considered  prolix, 
again  touch  on  those  that  may  have  been  before 
treated  of. 

The  description  of  one  side  will  serve  the  purpose 
of  making  the  proceedings  fully  understood.  Whether 
the  material  be  of  morocco  or  white  vellum,  it  must 
be  washed,  if  required,  perfectly  clean,  and  left  to 
dry.  The  first  operation  will  be — if  it  be  for  stamp- 
work — to  place  the  side  on  the  bed  of  the  stamping- 
press  and  boldly  impress  the  design  thereon.  The 
most  elegant,  and  capable  of  the  greatest  display  of 
colour,  are  subjects  of  botany  and  natural  history. 
The  next  step  will  be  to  glaire  with  a  camel's-hair 
pencil  such  parts  of  the  impression  as  it  is  intended 
shall  be  afterwards  covered  with  gold.  This  done, 
the  delicate  operation  of  colouring  may  be  proceeded 
with.  In  London  and  Paris  this  is  executed  by 
professed  artists  in  no  way  conversant  with  book- 
binding. The  colours  to  be  used  must  be  such  as 
do  not  at  all,  or  very  slightly,  fade  on  exposure  to 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


229 


the  air  or  sun,  such  as  carmine,  ultramarine,  indigo, 
burnt  sienna,  gamboge,  and  sap-green.  These  must 
be  prepared,  with  fine  gum,  in  the  same  manner  as 
for  painting,  and  be  lightly  and  delicately  laid 
on  such  parts  of  the  design  as  it  is  intended  the 
colour  should  occupy,  taking  care  that  the  ground- 
colour or  leather  is  entirely  hid.  Let  every  thing 
be  true  to  nature,  each  bird,  plant,  and  flower  its 
proper  colour,  and  a  general  harmony  prevail 
throughout.  When  finished,  let  the  whole  perfectly 
dry,  and  then,  in  the  manner  directed,  lay  gold  on 
such  parts  as  it  is  intended,  in  the  reimpression  of 
the  plate,  should  be  further  embellished.  Heat  tho 
plate,  place  the  side  again  under  it,  and  give  it  a 
firm  and  sharp  impression.  Rub  off  the  superfluous 
gold,  and  the  whole  of  the  delicate  lines  of  the  orna- 
ment will  be  found  beautifully  gilt,  the  colours  firmly 
fixed  by  the  heat  of  the  plate,  and  the  rough  edges 
of  the  colour  completely  effaced  by  the  reimpression 
of  the  original  design. 

In  executing  the  less  expensive  and  more  simple 
designs,  the  plate  is  impressed  in  gold  on  the  side, 
and  the  parts  left  ungilt  on  the  leather ;  afterwards 
coloured  according  to  the  taste  of  the  workman. 

For  the  best  class  of  work,  after  the  design  is 

impressed,  either  by  hand  or  the  press,  pieces  are 

20 


230 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


cut  out  of  variously-coloured  morocco,  pared  thin, 
and  neatly  pasted  on  the  side,  the  design,  when 
worked,  entirely  concealing  the  edges  of  the  mo- 
rocco.   This  is  termed  inlaid  work. 

BLIND  TOOLING. 

This  is  an  ornamental  operation,  applied  either 
before  or  after  the  book  has  been  gilt  and  polished, 
and,  if  judiciously  intermingled  with  the  gold,  will 
not  fail  to  present  a  good  effect.  It  is  a  style  that 
has  been  much  used  of  late  years,  and  is  executed 
in  the  same  way  and  with  the  same  tools  as  for  gild- 
ing, but  without  any  gold  applied  on  the  places  thus 
ornamented.  The  rolls,  pallets,  and  smaller  tools, 
are  applied  by  the  hand,  and  the  large  plates  with 
the  press,  with  the  same  precautions  as  indicated  in 
the  previous  section.  If  the  pattern  consists  of 
straight  lines,  and  the  workman  possesses  a  good 
eye,  the  best  manner  of  executing  it  is  by  making 
use  of  a  pallet,  placing  it  firmly  on  the  book,  and 
sliding  it  to  the  opposite  point.  It  remains,  there- 
fore, to  consider  such  matters  as  more  immediately 
apply  to  this  style  of  decoration. 

The  tools  for  blind  tooling  should  not  be  so  warm 
as  for  gilding,  and  particularly  for  morocco.  If  it 
is  wished  to  be  left  dull, — that  is,  free  from  glaire, — 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


231 


the  particles  attaching  themselves  over  the  edge  of 
the  gold  ornaments  must  be  removed  with  the  end 
of  the  finger,  wrapped  over  with  a  piece  of  fine  cloth, 
and  wetted.  This  will  soon  wash  it  clean,  and 
when  dry  the  blind  ornaments  may  be  proceeded 
writh. 

Graining  may  be  properly  considered  as  a  blind 
ornament.  This  is  where,  by  the  means  of  wTooden 
or  metal  plates,  the  sides  of  a  book  are  marked  with 
lines  crossed  over  each  other,  so  as  to  form  innume- 
rable small  squares  in  imitation  of  russia,  or  in 
imitation  of  the  grain  of  morocco,  scales  of  fish, 
and  other  substances.  The  operation  is  performed 
by  placing  the  volume  between  the  two  plates  even 
by  the  groove  of  the  back,  in  the  standing-press, 
and  pressing  it  tightly  down,  and  so  even  that  the 
plate  will  be  impressed  equally  over  the  whole  sur- 
face. Nothing  will  look  worse  than  a  bold  impres- 
sion in  one  place  and  a  slight  one  in  another ;  and 
therefore  it  becomes  of  importance  to  see  that  it  is 
evenly  pressed,  as  a  second  application  of  some 
kind  of  plates  will  never  be  found  affixed  to  the 
same  places. 

MODERNIZED  MONASTIC  OR  ANTIQUE. 

This  style,  whether  done  by  the  hand  or  the  press, 
is  one  that  requires  care  and  patience  on  the  part 


232 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


of  the  workman,  so  as  to  bring  up  the  tools  black, 
without  burning  or  otherwise  injuring  the  leather. 
We  have  spent  much  time  in  experiments,  so  as  to 
arrive  at  the  most  certain  and  perfect  mode  of  pro- 
ducing the  desired  result.  The  style  emanated  from 
Mr.  Hayday's  bindery ;  and  a  volume  executed  in 
this  style  for  a  connoisseur  in  this  city,  with  tool- 
ing of  a  brilliant  black,  fell  into  our  hands  some 
years  since,  and  we  at  once  set  about  attempting  to 
produce  the  same  effects.  Our  efforts  were  confined 
to  hand-tooling  for  some  time;  and,  although  inferior 
in  effect,  they  were  generally  well  received ;  but  we 
were  far  from  being  satisfied.  We  tried  every  sub- 
stance that  could  be  thought  of,  made  the  leather 
and  tools  hot  and  dry,  or  wet  and  cold,  as  reason 
seemed  to  point  to  one  or  the  other  as  the  proper 
method.  We  will  now  communicate  the  results  of 
our  labours : — In  the  first  place,  the  material  is  of 
the  greatest  importance ;  and  the  finest  effects  can- 
not be  produced  except  upon  English  calf  or  mo- 
rocco. American  calf  is  entirely  out  of  the  question 
for  the  purpose,  as  the  morocco  is  too  hard  on  the 
surface,  and  there  is  not  sufficient  colour  in  the 
body  for  the  tools  to  draw  and  affix  it  by  heat  to 
the  surface ;  but  some  kinds  are  better  adapted  for 
the  purpose  than  others.    To  test  this,  apply  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


233 


tip  of  the  tongue  to  the  leather,  and  if  the  damp- 
ness lies  on  the  surface,  without  sinking  in,  reject 
it ;  but  if  the  dampness  strikes  instantly  into  the 
leather, — the  quicker  the  better, — the  workman  may 
proceed  with  some  hopes  of  success.  After  the 
volume  is  covered  and  ready  for  finishing,  wash  it 
evenly  over  with  clean  water ;  and,  as  soon  as  the 
water  ceases  to  lie  upon  the  surface,  apply  the  tool 
moderately  heated;  this  will  bring  up  the  dark 
colour.  Afterwards  go  over  it  again  with  the  tool,  so 
as  to  make  the  impressions  clear  and  bright.  There 
are,  however,  some  colours,  as  well  as  particular 
manufactures,  that  will  not  come  up  black  ;  and  we 
were  long  satisfied  that  some  colouring-matter 
wras  employed.  We  wrote  to  a  friend  in  London, 
who  sent  us  the  material  and  the  method  of  its  use. 
The  material  was  common  printers'  ink.  His  com- 
munication wTe  now  make  public.  "  In  the  first 
place,  the  leather  should  be  quite  damp,  and  the  tools 
used  should  be  as  hot  as  possible  without  the  printers' 
ink.  Then  again  impressed  with  the  printers'  ink 
upon  the  tools.  We  put  the  larger  tools  in  again 
without  ink.  When  the  ink  is  used  upon  the  tools, 
the  leather  should  be  rather  damp,  and  the  tools  not 
very  hot.  When  the  pattern  is  worked  in  the  man- 
ner described,  it  should  be  left  until  dry,  and  then 

20* 


234 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


brushed  with  a  brush,  not  very  stiff,  which  will  give 
a  brilliant  gloss  to  the  tooling."  When  using 
printers'  ink,  be  careful  not  to  get  too  much  on  the 
tools. 

Let  the  young  workman  but  follow  the  directions 
given,  and,  with  a  little  patience  and  reflection,  he 
will  be  able  to  do  work  of  the  character  under  con- 
sideration, fully  equal  to  the  efforts  of  the  best 
workman,  provided  that  the  tools  be  worked  true 
and  even. 

POLISHING. 

The  details  of  this  operation,  which  is  performed 
immediately  after  the  gold  ornaments  have  been 
worked,  have  been  reserved  in  order  that  the  whole 
of  the  ornamental  department  might  be  kept 
together.  Morocco,  roan,  silk,  and  velvet,  and  the 
blind  ornaments  on  any  substance,  must  never  be 
submitted  to  the  action  of  the  polisher.  A  smart 
rubbing  with  a  piece  of  rough  calf  will  be  sufficient 
for  the  two  former,  and  the  velvet  or  silk  will  merely 
require  cleaning  with  any  smooth  substance  or  with 
India-rubber. 

There  are  two  polishers, — one  for  the  back  and 
bands,  and  another  for  the  sides.  The  oil  applied 
on  the  cover  previous  to  laying  on  the  gold  will  be 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


235 


sufficient  to  make  the  polisher  glide  easily  over  the 
surface.  The  polisher  must  be  heated,  and  well 
cleaned  on  a  board,  and  passed  quickly  and  evenly 
on  the  back,  sides,  or  joints,  as  the  case  may  be, 
taking  especial  care  that  it  is  not  too  hot,  as  the 
glaire  would  thereby  be  turned  white  and  the  work 
damaged  in  appearance,  nor  so  cold  as  to  give  a  bad 
polish. 

The  book,  as  gilt,  must  be  first  polished  on  the 
back,  by  taking  it  with  the  left  hand,  resting  it  on 
the  table,  and  polished  with  the  right  hand  by 
gliding  backwards  and  forwards  the  smooth  part  of 
the  polisher  on  the  whole  extent  of  the  back.  This 
not  only  polishes  the  surface,  but  smooths  down  the 
indentations  formed  upon  the  leather  by  the  gilding- 
tools,  bringing  up  the  gilding  to  the  surface.  The 
polisher  must  be  passed  on  such  places  only  as  it  is 
wished  to  make  brilliant,  and  great  care  taken  not 
to  touch  the  places  intended  to  be  left  dull. 

The  sides  are  similarly  polished,  by  laying  the 
volume  on  the  table,  covered  with  baize,  and  passing 
the  large  iron  quickly  over,  first  from  the  fore-edge 
towards  the  groove,  and  then,  by  turning  the  volume 
in  a  contrary  way,  from  the  tail  to  the  head. 

If  the  joint  requires  polishing,  the  book  is  laid 
before  the  workman,  the  tail  towards  him,  and  the 


236  MANUAL  OF  THE 

iron  applied  on  the  side  next  the  groove,  polishing 
the  whole  length  of  the  board ;  then,  turning  round 
the  volume,  and  bringing  the  fore-edge  towards  him, 
he  polishes  the  side  on  the  fore-edge,  and,  turning 
again,  completes  the  whole  by  polishing  the  parts  at 
the  head  and  tail. 

In  addition  to  polishing,  it  is  desirable  to  give  to 
the  sides  the  greatest  possible  smoothness  by  press- 
ing them  between  polished  tins  or  horns.  These 
are  placed  on  each  side  of  the  book  even  by  the 
groove,  put  between  pressing-boards,  and  screwed 
tightly  in  the  press,  and  left  for  some  time. 

COLOURING. 

Calf-skins  of  uniform  tints,  and  also  sprinkled, 
can  now  be  obtained  of  English  manufacturers  ;  yet 
in  many  localities  they  are  difficult  to  obtain.  We 
therefore  make  known  the  chemical  substances  and 
ingredients  required  to  execute  them  in  the  best 
manner.  Marbling  is  a  process  that  must  be  exe- 
cuted by  the  binder  upon  the  cover,  and,  with  many 
other  revival  styles,  is  again  coming  into  vogue. 
The  recipes  given  for  the  superior  marbles  and  de- 
signs will,  it  is  presumed,  present  this  branch  of 
the  art  on  a  higher  footing,  in  a  general  point  of 
view,  than  is  usually  accorded  to  it ;  and  it  is  con- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


237 


fidently  asserted  that  not  one  of  them  will  prove  a 
failure,  if  attention  to  the  directions  be  only  given. 
Nothing  has  been  omitted  in  the  description  of  the 
substances  best  for  use,  the  mode  of  preparing 
them,  and  the  proceedings  to  be  adopted,  that  can 
tend  to  give  to  the  covers  all  the  elegance  and 
splendour  of  which  they  are  susceptible.  By  the 
aid  of  these,  assisted  by  some  taste,  the  workman 
may  vary  the  designs  almost  to  infinity;  but  it 
must  be  admitted  that,  unless  he  is  devoted  to  his 
art,  no  mere  directions  or  casual  advantages  will 
enable  him  to  succeed  in  the  more  complicated  or 
delicate  operations,  while,  with  an  ardour  for  it,  all 
difficulties  will  be  easily  overcome. 

CHEMICAL  PREPAKATIONS. 

Under  this  head  is  included  aqua  regit,  or  killed 
spirits,  nitric  acid,  marbling -water,  and  glaire  pre- 
pared for  marbling. 

AQUA  REGII, 

So  called  from  its  power  to  dissolve  gold,  is  a 
mixture  of  nitrous  acid  (aquafortis)  and  muriatic 
acid,  (spirits  of  salts,)  deprived  of  its  burning  quali- 
ties by  block-tin,  which  it  dissolves.  It  is  called  by 
the  chemist  acid  nitro-muriatic :  the  muriatic  also 


238 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


contains  a  portion  of  alkali,  which  gives  to  red  a 
vinous  tint,  and  for  which  colour  it  is  principally 
used. 

The  two  substances  should  be  of  the  purest 
quality,  of  a  concentration  of  thirty-three  degrees 
for  the  nitric  acid  and  of  twenty  degrees  for  the 
muriatic.  They  must  be  mixed  with  the  greatest 
precaution.  Having  provided  a  clear  glass  bottle, 
the  neck  rather  long,  capable  of  holding  twice  the 
quantity  to  be  prepared,  place  it  upon  a  bed  of 
sand,  the  opening  at  top,  and  pour  in  one  part 
of  pure  nitric  acid  and  three  of  muriatic.  Let  the 
first  vapours  dispel,  and  then  cover  the  orifice  with 
a  small  phial,  which  must  not  confine  the  vapour  too 
closely,  as  the  bottle  would  be  liable  to  burst,  but 
which  retains  as  much  as  possible  without  risk. 
Of  block-tin,  an  eighth  part  of  the  weight  of  the 
acid  must  then  be  dropped  into  the  bottle,  in  small 
pieces,  a  little  at  a  time,  covering  the  orifice  with 
the  phial.  The  acid  will  immediately  attack  the 
tin  and  dissolve  it,  when  a  second  portion  must  be 
put  in  with  the  same  precaution,  and  so  on  till  the 
whole  is  dissolved.  Malacca  tin  is  the  best  for  use, 
and  if  pure  there  will  be  no  sediment;  but,  as  it 
cannot  always  be  obtained,  a  black  sediment  will  be 
left.    The  vapour  having  ceased,  the  acid  must  be 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


239 


poured  into  bottles  and  secured  with  glass  stoppers, 
to  preserve  it.  When  used,  a  part  is  taken  and 
mixed  with  one  quarter  of  its  weight  of  distilled 
water. 

It  is  usual  with  some  workmen  to  perform  this 
operation  in  a  common  drinking-glass ;  but,  as  the 
vapour  is  thereby  all  dispersed,  the  composition 
loses  a  considerable  portion  of  its  best  quality,  for 
it  will  be  observed,  if  performed  in  a  bottle  as 
above  directed,  that  the  vapour  assumes  a  red  tint, 
which  does  not  escape  if  the  neck  of  the  bottle  be 
of  sufficient  length. 

ANOTHER. 

Some  binders  adopt  the  following  method;  but,  as 
it  is  not  capable  of  producing  an  equal  beauty  and 
clearness  of  colour  with  the  one  above  given,  it  will 
not  be  advisable  to  use.  The  former,  too,  will  be 
equally  effective  to  an  indefinite  period,  while  this 
will  not  preserve  more  than  two  or  three  months. 

Put  in  a  brown  freestone  pot  two  ounces  of  pow- 
dered sal-ammoniac,  six  ounces  of  fine  Malacca  tin, 
in  strips  or  drops,  twelve  ounces  of  distilled  water, 
and,  last,  a  pound  of  nitric  acid,  of  thirty-three 
degrees.  Leave  the  whole  till  the  tin  is  dissolved, 
and  then  pour  off  and  bottle  as  above  directed. 


240 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


VITRIOL- WATER. 

Vitriol,  as  sold  in  the  pure  state,  will  not  be 
proper  to  use  in  marbling  or  sprinkling,  as  it  would 
corrode  and  destroy  the  leather.  It  must  be  weak- 
ened at  least  in  proportion  of  one  ounce  of  vitriol 
to  three  of  water. 

MARBLING-WATER. 

It  is  usual  with  many  to  use  the  water  pure ;  but 
a  few  drops  of  potash  liquid  mixed  with  it  will  be 
found  to  produce  better  effect,  the  marble  being 
rendered  more  distinct. 

GLAIRE. 

Put  spirits  of  wine  in  a  proportion  of  two  drops  to 
the  whites  of  twelve  eggs,  and  beat  the  whole  well 
together  till  perfectly  clear. 

PREPARATIONS  OF  THE  COLOURS. 
The  preparations  used  by  different  binders  vary 
much,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  recipes  given  for  the 
same  colours,  which  we  judge  necessary  to  put  on 
record,  that  nothing  connected  with  the  subject 
should  be  omitted,  premising  that  each  colour  may 
be  depended  upon  for  producing  the  most  satis- 
factory results.    It  may  be  proper  also  to  observe 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


241 


that  the  whole  of  the  woods  and  other  ingredients 
used  should  be  previously  powdered  or  reduced  to 
small  pieces,  the  colours  being  thereby  much  better 
extracted. 

BLACK. 

1.  Dissolve  half  a  pound  of  green  copperas  in 
two  quarts  of  water.  The  oxide  contained  in  the 
sulphate  of  iron  will  combine  with  the  tanning  of  the 
leather,  and  produce  a  good  black. 

2.  Boil  in  a  cast-iron  pot  a  quart  of  vinegar, 
with  a  quantity  of  rusty  nails,  or  steel-filings,  till 
reduced  one-third,  taking  off  the  scum  as  it  rises  to 
the  top.  This  liquid  improves  by  age.  To  keep  up 
the  quantity,  boil  with  more  vinegar. 

3.  A  cheaper  liquid  may  be  produced  by  boiling 
two  pints  of  beer  and  two  pints  of  water  with  two 
pounds  of  old  iron  and  a  pint  of  vinegar,  scumming 
as  before,  and  bottling  for  use. 

BROWN. 

1.  Half  a  pound  of  good  Dantzic  or  American 
potash  dissolved  in  one  quart  of  rain-water,  and 
preserved  in  a  bottle  well  corked. 

2.  Salts  or  oil  of  tartar,  in  the  same  propor- 
tions as  above. 

21 


242 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


3.  A  beautiful  brown  may  be  procured  from  the 
green  shells  of  walnuts.  To  prepare  this,  a  quan- 
tity of  the  green  shells,  when  the  nuts  are  gathered, 
must  be  pounded  in  a  mortar  to  extract  the  juice, 
and  then  put  into  a  vessel  capable  of  holding  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  water.  The  water  being  put  in, 
the  whole  should  be  frequently  stirred,  and  left  to 
soak,  with  the  vessel  covered.  Afterwards  the  liquid 
must  be  passed  through  a  sieve,  the  juice  well  ex- 
pressed, and  bottled,  with  some  common  salt,  for 
use.  This  liquid,  after  fermentation,  will  produce 
the  best  effects  for  the  uniform  tints,  as  it  tends  to 
soften  the  leather,  and  will  not  corrode. 

BLUE* 

1.  It  is  usual  with  many  binders  to  use  Scott's 
Liquid  Blue,  but  it  is  necessary  to  know  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  colour.  Perhaps  the  best  and  most 
simple  one  known  is  one  given  by  Poerner,  which  is 
as  follows : — In  four  ounces  of  sulphuric  acid,  of  66 
degrees,  mix  gradually  one  ounce  of  finely-powdered 
indigo,  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  pulp.  Place  the 
vessel  in  another  containing  boiling  water,  for  some 
hours,  and  then  leave  it  to  cool.  Afterwards  put 
to  it  a  small  portion  of  good  potash,  dry  and  finely 
powdered,  stirring  the  whole  well,  and  letting  it  rest 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


248 


for  twenty-four  hours,  when  bottled,  and  use  as  re- 
quired. This  colour  will  appear  nearly  black,  but 
may  be  made  to  any  shade  by  adding  water  to  it. 
If  any  portion  remain  after  being  diluted,  it  must 
be  put  into  a  separate  bottle,  as  if  mixed  with  the 
first  preparation  the  whole  would  be  deteriorated. 

2.  A  readier  blue  may  be  prepared  by  mixing 
one  ounce  of  powdered  indigo  with  two  ounces  of 
oil  of  vitriol,  and  letting  it  stand  for  twenty-four 
hours,  and  then  adding  twelve  ounces  of  pure  water. 

PURPLE. 

Boil  half  a  pint  of  archill  or  logwood  with  vinegar 
.and  water,  of  each  half  a  pint. 

LILAC. 

Same  as  for  the  purple,  with  the  addition  of  about 
two  table-spoonsful  of  potash. 

VIOLET. 

Half  a  pound  of  logwood  chips  and  one  ounce  of 
Brazil  dust,  boiled  over  a  good  fire  in  four  pints  of 
water  till  reduced  one-half,  and  left  to  clear.  Then 
throw  in  one  ounce  of  powdered  alum  and  two 
grains  of  cream  of  tartar,  and  again  boil  till  dis- 
solved.   This  liquid  must  be  used  warm. 


244 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


FAWN. 

In  two  pints  of  water  boil  one  ounce  of  tan,  and  a 
like  portion  of  nutgall,  till  reduced  to  a  pint. 

YELLOW. 

1.  To  one  ounce  of. good  caked  saffron,  turmeric, 
or  French  berries,  add  a  portion  of  spirits  of  wine 
or  aqua  regii,  and  leave  the  mixture  to  macerate. 
This  liquid  is  used  cold,  and  may  be  varied  to  any 
shade  by  adding  water  when  required. 

2.  In  two  pints  of  water  put  eight  ounces  of 
French  berries,  and  boil  till  reduced  one-half.  Then 
pass  it  through  a  sieve  or  fine  cotton,  and  add  a 
small  quantity  of  powdered  alum,  and  again  boil, 
using  it  warm. 

ORANGE. 

In  a  pint  and  a  half  of  potash  liquid,  boil  a 
quarter  of  a  pound  of  fustic  chips  till  reduced  one- 
half;  then  put  in  an  ounce  of  good  amiatto,  well 
beaten,  and,  after  boiling,  a  small  portion  of  alum, 
and  use  warm. 

GREEN. 

1.  Liquid  blue  and  yellow  mixed  will  best  suit 
for  general  purposes. 

2.  Dissolve  in  a  bottle  one  ounce  of  verdigris  in 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


245 


an  ounce  of  white  wine  vinegar,  and  place  the 
wThole  before  a  fire  for  four  or  five  days,  frequently 
shaking  the  bottle. 

RED. 

There  are  three  sorts  of  red, — viz. :  common,  fine, 
and  scarlet. 

Common. — 1.  In  a  tinned  kettle  boil  half  a  pound 
of  Brazil  wood,  eight  grains  of  nutgalls,  both  pow- 
dered, and  three  pints  of  water,  till  the  whole  is  re- 
duced one-third.  Then  add  powdered  alum  and 
sal-ammoniac,  of  each  one  ounce,  and  when  dissolved 
strain  through  a  sieve.  This  liquid  must  always  be 
used  warm. 

2.  Boil  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  Brazil  dust,  two 
ounces  of  powdered  cochineal,  and  a  little  alum,  in 
two  pints  of  the  best  vinegar,  till  a  bright  red  is 
produced.    Use  warm. 

Fine. — 1.  In  three  pints  of  water  boil  half  a  pound 
of  Brazil  dust  and  half  an  ounce  of  powdered  nutgalls. 
Pass  the  whole  through  a  fine  cotton,  and  replace  the 
liquid  on  the  fire,  adding  one  ounce  of  powdered  alum 
and  half  an  ounce  of  sal-ammoniac.  Give  the  whole 
another  boil,  and  then  add  a  portion  of  aqua  regit, 
-  according  to  the  shade  desired,  and  use  warm. 

2.  A  quicker  and  cheaper  proceeding  is  by  putting 

in  a  cup  a  portion  of  Brazil  wood,  and  adding  to  it 

21* 


246 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


the  aqua  regit,  letting  it  stand  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  to  extract  the  colour. 

Scarlet. — To  one  ounce  of  white  nutgalls  and  one 
ounce  of  cochineal,  both  finely  powdered,  add  two 
pints  of  boiling  water.  After  boiling  some  time,  add 
half  an  ounce  of  aqua  regit,  and  use  warm. 

MARBLING. 

Before  proceeding  to  a  description  of  the  marbles, 
and  other  designs  on  the  covers  coming  under  the 
general  head  of  marbling,  it  will  be  proper  to  give  a 
few  directions  relative  to  some  important  matters 
required  in  the  way  of  preparation.  As  the  success 
of  many  of  the  designs  depends  upon  the  quickness 
with  which  they  are  executed,  it  will  be  important 
that  the  colours,  sponges,  brushes,  &c.  are  pre- 
viously disposed  in  the  best  order,  so  as  to  be  of  the 
readiest  access.  Attention  should  be  paid  to  the 
probable  quantity  that  may  be  required  of  each 
colour,  as  many  of  them  will  not  be  available  for 
use  another  time. 

The  books  should  all  be  previously  washed  with 
paste  and  water  to  which  has  been  added  a  little 
pearlash  liquid,  and  left  to  dry.  After  this  they 
must  be  glaired  equally  over,  and  when  dry  placed 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


247 


upon  the  marbling-rods,  the  sides  of  the  books  ex- 
tending over  and  the  leaves  hanging  between.  The 
rods  must  be  placed  on  an  elevation  at  the  top,  so  as  to 
allow  the  water  to  run  gradually  towards  the  bottom 
of  the  books;  and,  if  the  backs  are  required  to  be 
left  plain,  another  rod,  or  piece  of  board,  grooved  to 
the  shape  of  the  back,  placed  on  them.  To  avoid 
the  scum  arising  from  the  beating  of  the  brushes 
over  the  colours,  it  is  better  to  rub  the  ends  of  the 
bristles  on  the  palm  of  the  hand,  on  which  a  little 
oil  has  been  spread.  These  preliminaries  being 
settled,  the  operation  of  marbling  commences,  for 
which  we  shall  now  give  directions. 

COMMON  MARBLE. 

The  book  being  placed  on  the  rods,  throw  on  the 
water  prepared  for  marbling  in  large  drops,  with  a 
coarse  brush,  or  bunch  of  quills,  till  the  drops  unite. 
Then,  with  a  brush  charged  with  the  black  liquid 
and  beaten  on  the  press-pin  as  directed  for  sprink- 
ling the  edges,  a  number  of  fine  streaks  are  pro- 
duced by  throwing  the  colour  equally  over  the 
cover.  Afterwards  the  brown  liquid  must  be 
similarly  thrown  over.  When  the  veins  are  well 
struck  into  the  leather,  the  water  must  be  sponged 
off  and  the  book  placed  to  dry. 


248 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


If  the  volume  has  been  previously  coloured  with 
any  of  the  preparations  before  described,  and  it  is 
wished  to  produce  a  marble  thereon,  the  brown  must 
be  thrown  on  first,  and  then  the  black ;  as  without 
this  precaution  the  marble  would  not  strike,  because 
of  the  acid  which  forms  part  of  the  colours.  This 
observation  being  applicable  to  all  the  other  designs, 
it  will  not  be  necessary  again  to  repeat  it. 

ANOTHER. 

Throw  on  the  vinegar-black,  then  the  brown,  and 
lastly  a  sprinkle  of  vitriol-water. 

PURPLE  MARBLE. 

Colour  the  cover  two  or  three  times  with  hot 
purple  liquid,  and,  when  dry,  glaire.  Then  throw 
on  water,  and  sprinkle  with  strong  vitriol-water, 
which  will  form  red  veins. 

STONE  MARBLE. 

After  throwing  on  the  water,  sprinkle  boldly  with 
the  black  liquid ;  then,  with  a  sponge  charged  with 
strong  brown,  drop  the  colour  on  the  back  in  three 
or  four  places,  so  that  it  may  run  down  each  side  in 
a  broad  stream,  and  afterwards  operate  with  vitriol- 
water  on  the  parts  the  brown  has  not  touched. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


249 


GREEN  AGATE. 

Sprinkle  black,  in  nine  times  its  quantity  of  water, 
in  large  drops  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  cover, 
and  when  the  drops  unite  apply  on  the  back  at 
regular  distances  the  green  liquid,  so  that  it  may 
flow  on  the  boards  and  unite  with  the  black. 

BLUE  AGATE. 

Proceed  as  above,  only  substituting  blue  in  place 
of  the  green,  weakened  with  water  according  to  the 
shade  required. 

FAIR  AGATE. 

Commence  by  sprinkling  black  in  small  drops 
at  a  good  distance  from  each  other;  afterwards 
sprinkle  equally  over  large  drops  of  weak  potash. 

AGATINE. 

Proceed  as  for  the  green  agate,  and  then  sprinkle 
scarlet  all  over  the  cover ;  finally,  throw  on  blue  in 
small  drops,  weakened  in  four  times  the  quantity  of 
water. 

LEVANT  MARBLE. 

After  the  water,  throw  on  the  back-brown  in 
broad  streaks  as  directed  for  the  stone,  and  then  in 


250 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


like  manner  the  aqua  regii.  This  will  be  found  to 
imitate  closely  the  Levant  marble. 

PORPHYRY  VEIN. 

Throw  on  large  drops  of  black  diluted  in  double 
the  quantity  of  water.  When  the  colour  has  struck 
well  into  the  leather,  sprinkle  in  the  same  manner 
brown  mixed  equally  with  water.  Then  apply  a 
sprinkle  of  scarlet,  and  afterwards  large  spots  of 
yellow,  the  liquid  nearly  boiling.  While  these 
colours  are  uniting,  throw  on  weak  blue,  and  then 
aqua  regii,  which,  flowing  together  down  the  sides 
of  the  book,  will  form  the  vein  distinctly. 

RED  PORPHYRY. 

Sprinkle  with  black  in  eight  times  the  quantity 
of  water,  very  equal  and  in  small  spots.  Let  it 
dry,  rub,  and  glaire.  Then  give  two  or  three 
sprinkles  of  fine  red,  and  one  of  scarlet,  and  again 
leave  to  dry.  Finally,  sprinkle  scarlet  in  small 
spots  as  equally  as  possible. 

GREEN  PORPHYRY. 

For  this  design  the  cover  must  be  finely  sprinkled 
over  three  separate  times,  leaving  the  colour  to 
search  and  dry  between  each.    The  green  must  be 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


251 


brought  to  the  shade  required  by  mixing  with  water. 
To  form  a  more  elegant  vein,  sprinkle  first  with 
weak  black,  and  afterwards  with  green,  and  when 
dry  with  fine  red. 

PORPHYRY. 

This  marble,  imitating  the  eye  of  the  partridge, 
is  executed  by  throwing  on  black  in  eight  times  its 
volume  of  water,  in  small  drops,  but  so  close  as  to 
just  run  into  each  other.  When  the  black  begins 
to  flow,  sprinkle  over  brown  mixed  equally  with 
water.  Let  it  dry,  wash  the  whole  with  a  sponge, 
and  before  quite  dry  again  give  it  two  or  three 
coats  of  fine  red.  After  being  dry  and  well  rubbed, 
sprinkle  equally  over  the  surface  large  drops  of 
aqua  regii. 

ANOTHER. 

Colour  the  cover  with  red,  yellow,  blue,  or  green, 
and,  when  dry,  with  black  diluted  as  above ;  let  this 
also  dry,  and  then  sprinkle  over  large  or  small  drops 
of  aqua  regii.  The  eye  of  the  partridge  is  properly 
formed  with  blue  sprinkled  upon  the  weakened 
black,  and,  when  dry,  with  the  killed  spirit  or  aqua 
regii. 


252 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


ROCK. 

Throw  on  large  drops  of  black  prepared  as  for 
the  porphyry,  and,  when  half  dry,  weakened  potash 
in  the  same  manner.  When  dry  again,  sprinkle  on 
equally  small  spots  of  scarlet,  and  lastly  aqua  regit. 

GRANITE. 

Mix  black  in  about  fifty  times  its  quantity  of 
water,  and  sprinkle  equally  over  very  fine,  repeat- 
ing it  as  it  dries  five  or  six  times.  Then,  in  like 
manner,  sprinkle  over  with  brown,  and,  after  rubbing 
well,  glaire  lightly.  Finally,  sprinkle  finely  over 
with  aaua  regii. 

TKEE-MAKBLES. 
These  marbles,  which  were  first  executed  in  Ger- 
many, from  whence  they  passed  into  England,  are 
formed  by  bending  the  boards  in  the  middle,  so  that 
the  water  and  colours  flow  from  the  back  and  fore- 
edge  to  the  centre,  in  the  form  of  branches  of  trees. 
Those  who  have  never  seen  the  tree-marbles  of 
Mr.  Clarke,  of  London,  can  form  but  little  idea  of 
the  beauty  of  which  this  style  is  susceptible.  The 
name  is  also  given  to  such  as  are  made  to  imitate 
the  grain  of  the  wood. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


253 


WALNUT. 

Formed  by  sprinkling  black  and  brown  only,  as 
for  the  common  marble. 

CEDAR. 

After  sprinkling  as  for  the  walnut,  and  before 
perfectly  dry,  apply  lightly  a  sponge  presenting 
large  holes  dipped  in  orange  upon  various  places  on 
the  cover,  so  as  to  form  a  description  of  clouds. 
Afterwards  apply  the  fine  red,  with  a  similar 
sponge,  nearly  upon  the  same  places,  and  when  dry 
give  the  whole  two  or  three  coats  of  yellow,  taking 
care  that  each  penetrates  evenly  into  the  leather. 

MAHOGANY. 

The  proceedings  are  nearly  the  same  as  for  the 
walnut,  the  difference  being  merely  in  sprinkling 
the  black  more  boldly,  and,  when  perfectly  dry, 
giving  two  or  three  uniform  coats  of  red. 

BOX. 

In  order  to  imitate  the  veins  contained  in  box, 
the  boards  must  be  bent  in  five  or  six  different 
places  and  in  divers  ways.  After  placing  the  book 
between  the  rods,  throw  on  the  water  in  small  drops, 
and  proceed  as  for  the  walnut.    After  being  per- 

22 


254 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


fectly  dry,  throw  water  again  in  large  drops,  and 
sprinkle  on  small  spots  of  blue,  diluted  equally 
with  water ;  and,  when  again  dry  and  rubbed  well, 
apply  the  scarlet  with  a  sponge  as  directed  for  the 
cedar.  Finally,  when  dry,  give  two  or  three  coats 
of  orange,  and  the  design  is  complete. 

WAINSCOT. 

Colour  with  strong  brown,  glaire,  and  place 
between  the  rods,  with  the  boards  flat.  Throw  on 
weak  black  in  large  spots,  then,  brown  in  like  man- 
ner, and,  lastly,  sprinkle  boldly  with  vitriol-water. 

VARIEGATED. 

Marble  as  for  the  walnut,  and  then  put  on  each 
board  a  circle,  oval,  or  other  figure,  and  apply  weak 
black  on  the  outer  parts.  When  dry,  give  it  a  good 
coat  of  red,  and,  after  throwing  on  spots  of  scarlet, 
take  off  the  figures,  and  wash  well  the  parts  where 
the  latter  colour  has  been  used.  Finally,  give  the 
oval  two  coats  of  yellow,  or  other  colour,  with  a 
camel's-hair  brush. 

MARBLING  ON  PAPER. 

The  sides  of  a  half-bound  book,  which  will  be 
covered  with  paper,  may  be  marbled  to  correspond 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


255 


with  the  effect  produced  on  the  leather  by  the  action 
of  the  black  and  brown  at  the  same  time.  This  is 
performed  by  pasting  firm  white  paper  on  the  sides, 
and  colouring  with  a  mixture  of  four  ounces  of  nut- 
galls  and  a  small  portion  of  powdered  sal-ammo- 
niac boiled  well  together,  which  will  take  the  black 
and  brown  nearly  equal  to  leather. 

SPRINKLES. 

This  is  another  ornament  on  the  covers  of  books, 
capable  of  being  much  varied.  A  few  of  the  most 
general  use  are  given,  premising  that  any  of  the 
colours  arranged  as  for  the  marbles  above,  or 
sprinkled  on  the  uniform  colours,  will  be  productive 
of  a  beautiful  effect.  The  books  must  be  paste- 
washed  over,  but  not  glaired. 

NUTMEG. 

Sprinkle  very  finely  with  black  and  then  with 
brown.  If  wished  to  produce  a  finer  effect,  give  a 
sprinkle  of  vitriol-water. 

RING. 

Put  about  a  teaspoonful  of  vitriol  to  a  cup  of  the 
black,  and  sprinkle  coarsely  over.  If  the  ring  is 
not  sufficiently  strong,  add  more  vitriol. 


256 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


TORTOISE-SHELL. 

Wash  the  cover  with  yellow,  and  sprinkle  very 
boldly  with  black.  When  dry,  spot  with  a  sponge, 
as  before  directed,  with  blue,  red,  and  black,  each 
colour  being  left  to  dry  before  the  next  is  applied. 

In  concluding  the  description  of  the  marbles  and 
sprinkles,  it  may  be  remarked  that,  with  a  little 
taste,  the  workman  might  vary  the  designs  to  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  different  patterns;  also  that 
each  colour  should  be  allowed  to  properly  strike 
into  the  leather  before  another  is  used.  Panes,  or 
blank  spaces,  are  formed  by  placing  squares,  &c. 
of  pasteboard  on  the  sides,  which  prevents  the 
colours  touching  the  leather  when  sprinkling. 
After  the  design  is  completed,  the  covers  should  be 
well  rubbed  with  a  woollen  cloth  or  the  ball  of  the 
hand,  to  remove  the  whole  of  the  refuse  of  the 
colour,  which  will  be  found  to  corrode  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  leather. 

UNIFORM  COLOURS. 
Before  proceeding  to  execute  any  of  the  colours, 
the  books  must  be  well  and  evenly  paste-washed,  and 
left  till  perfectly  dry.    It  will  also  be  necessary  to 
observe  that  the  black  will  become  darker  in  all  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


257 


subsequent  operations  of  colouring,  glairing,  and 
polishing,  so  that  attention  must  be  paid  not  to  use 
this  liquid  too  strong. 

LIGHT  BROWN. 

Wash  the  cover  with  vitriol-water  till  perfectly 
uniform  in  colour,  and  then  with  brown  to  the  shade 
desired. 

ANOTHER. 

Mix  a  small  quantity  of  annatto  with  the  potash 
liquid,  and  use  hot.  This  will  produce  a  beautiful 
tint. 

DARK  BROWN. 

Colour  with  weak  black  till  a  slate-shade  is  pro- 
duced, and  then  apply  the  brown  three  or  four 
times,  as  taste  may  dictate. 

Others  might  be  added,  but  the  proceedings  are 
the  same,  varying  only  the  quantity  of  colour  ac- 
cording to  the  shade.  The  nut-brown  liquid  will 
produce  beautiful  tints. 

CORINTHIAN  GRAPE. 

The  proceedings  are  the  same  as  for  the  last 

colour,  adding  two  or  three  coats  of  fine  red. 

22* 


258 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


COMMON  GRAPE. 

Proceed  as  for  the  last,  omitting  the  brown  after 
the  black. 

BLUE. 

After  giving  four  or  five  coats  of  the  chemical 
blue  diluted  with  water,  wash  lightly  with  weakened 
aqua  regii,  which  will  take  off  the  green  reflection 
produced  by  the  yellow  tint  of  the  leather. 

GREEN. 

Give  three  or  four  coats  of  the  green  liquid,  ex- 
tended in  water  according  to  the  shade  required. 
Any  of  the  other  colours  noticed  in  the  preparations 
may  be  thus  executed. 

OLIVE. 

After  giving  a  slate- colour,  apply  yellow,  boiled 
with  a  small  portion  of  blue,  on  the  cover,  rubbing 
it  equally  in  while  hot,  to  insure  uniformity. 

PEARL  GRAY. 

This  colour  must  be  executed  carefully,  so  as  to 
be  perfectly  uniform  and  without  stains.  Colour 
over  with  exceedingly  weak  black  liquid,  till  a  pale 


f 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING.  259 

gray  is  produced.  The  weaker  it  is,  the  better  will 
the  workman  succeed.  Then  pass  over  a  light  coat 
of  fine  red  mixed  in  a  large  portion  of  water,  so  as 
to  give  a  light  red  reflection  scarcely  distinguishable. 

slate: 

Use  the  black  liquid  a  little  stronger  than  for  the 
last,  and  omit  the  red. 

BLACK. 

For  common  purposes,  the  black  may  be  formed 
in  the  way  adopted  for  other  colours ;  but,  in  many 
instances,  it  is  necessary  to  produce  a  colour  having 
the  appearance  of  japan,  and  which  will  require 
more  labour  and  attention. 

Wash  the  book  over  with  brown  till  a  dark  shade 
is  formed  ;  then,  with  a  piece  of  woollen  cloth,  apply 
the  black  liquid  mixed  with  japan,  which  will  pro- 
duce a  beautiful  black.  This  colour  should  have  a 
good  coat  of  vellum-size  before  glairing.  Or  it  may 
be  better  to  finish  off  with  the  varnish  given  in 
another  part  of  the  work. 

Nutgalls,  copperas,  and  gum-arabic,  are  used  by 
many,  and  will  be  found  to  produce  a  good  and 
bright  colour. 


260 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


GOLD  MARBLES,  LANDSCAPES,  ETC. 

These  designs,  if  properly  executed,  are  the  most 
beautiful  that  can  be  imagined.  The  labour  and 
care,  however,  requisite,  must  ever  confine  them  to 
superior  bindings,  for  which  a  high  price  is  given,  to 
indemnify  the  workman  for  the  time  required  to 
produce  the  proper  effect.  The  imitation  of  the 
gold  marbles  is  not  an  easy  task ;  but  a  knowledge 
of  the  art  of  painting,  and  a  clever  management  of 
the  brush,  will  enable  the  workman  to  imitate  the 
figure  of  the  marble  so  true  to  nature  as  to  be 
scarcely  distinguishable. 

GOLD  MARBLE. 

This  marble,  which  will  not  require  the  ability  to 
execute  as  those  following  it,  is  the  invention  of  M. 
Berthe,  senior,  bookbinder  of  Paris,  and  may  be 
executed  on  any  kind  of  uniform  substance.  Take 
a  piece  of  cloth,  exceeding  the  size  of  the  volume, 
and  fold  it  equally ;  lay  it,  thus  folded,  evenly  upon 
a  board,  and  then  open  the  other  half,  and  cover 
the  board ;  spread,  upon  the  half  towards  the  left, 
gold  leaf  to  the  size  of  the  cover,  allowing  such 
portion  as  the  roll  intended  to  be  worked  on  it  may 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


261 


take,  which  will  be  a  saving  of  gold;  then  refold 
the  cloth  on  the  gold,  and  press  the  hand  above, 
without  moving  the  cloth,  so  as  to  divide  the  gold 
into  a  number  of  small  pieces.  The  gold  being 
thus  prepared,  moisten  the  side  of  the  volume  with 
glaire  mixed  with  water  in  equal  proportion,  and 
place  it  on  the  cloth,  pressing  above  firmly  with  the 
hand.  Care  being  taken  not  to  disarrange  it,  turn 
over  the  volume,  cloth,  and  board,  and  take  the 
latter  off,  replacing  it  with  a  sheet  of  paper,  and 
rubbing  smartly  above,  so  as  to  attach  the  whole  of 
the  gold  to  the  cover.  After  this  the  cloth  must  be 
removed,  and  the  gold  will  be  found  equally  fixed ; 
to  further  insure  which  lay  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  and 
rub  well  with  the  palm  of  the  hand. 

To  remove  any  gold  that  may  appear  on  the  part 
intended  for  the  roll  in  gilding,  wet  the  end  of  the 
thumb,  form  a  sort  of  square  with  the  fore-finger  on 
the  edge  of  the  board  to  the  size  of  the  roll,  and  rub 
the  surface  of  the  cover,  which  will  clear  it  with 
facility  before  the  glaire  is  dry. 

LAPIS-LAZULI. 

This  marble  is  of  clear  blue,  veined  with  gold, 
presenting  an  appearance  of  the  utmost  splendour. 
It  is  executed  as  follows : — 


262 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


Place  the  volume  between  rods  as  for  marbling, 
and  with  a  sponge  full  of  large  holes,  dipped  in 
chemical  blue  mixed  in  six  times  its  volume  of 
water,  make  light  spots,  similar  to  clouds,  at  irregu- 
lar distances ;  then  put  in  a  quarter  part  more  blue, 
and  make  new  clouds  or  spots  a  little  darker. 
Repeat  this  operation  six  or  seven  times,  each  time 
adding  more  blue.  All  these  coats  will  form  stains 
in  proper  gradation,  as  in  the  natural  marble ;  and 
to  operate  more  properly,  it  would  be  better  to  have 
a  model,  either  of  the  marble  itself,  or  skilfully 
painted. 

The  veins  of  gold,  which  must  not  be  laid  on  till 
the  book  is  gilt,  and  just  previous  to  polishing,  are 
formed  with  gold  in  shell.  The  substance  used  to 
make  it  take  and  hold  firmly  on  the  cover  of  the 
book  is  prepared  with  white  of  egg  and  spirits  of 
wine  in  equal  proportion,  and  two  parts  of  water, 
beating  all  well  and  leaving  it  to  clear ;  then  wet  a 
small  portion  of  gold-powder  with  the  liquid,  mixing 
it  with  the  finger,  and  use  it  with  a  small  earner s- 
hair  pencil.  Pass  it  on  in  different  places,  so  as  to 
imitate  the  model,  according  to  the  taste  of  the 
workman;  when  done,  let  it  perfectly  dry,  and 
polish  with  the  polisher  scarcely  warm. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  by  the  use  of  other 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


263 


colours,  or  two  or  three  together,  many  beautiful 
designs  may  be  in  like  manner  executed. 

LANDSCAPES. 

Many  beautiful  subjects  may  be  formed  on  the 
sides  of  books  by  the  workman  skilled  in  painting ; 
and,  although  coming  more  properly  under  the  art 
of  painting,  and  being  objectionable  on  account  of 
producing  a  mingling  of  the  arts,  so  frequently  ex- 
hibited upon  volumes  where  the  art  of  the  book- 
binder is  superseded  by  that  of  the  painter  and 
jeweller,  the  young  workman  should  understand 
at  least  the  process  by  which  they  are  produced. 
The  volume  is  prepared  by  being  pastewashed,  so 
as  to  present  a  uniform  fawn  colour,  the  designs 
slightly  traced,  and  afterwards  coloured  according 
to  the  pattern,  the  colours  being  mixed  to  the 
proper  shade  with  water.  The  shades  must  be 
tried  on  pieces  of  refuse  leather,  as,  being  spirit- 
colours,  when  once  laid  on,  no  art  can  soften  them 
down  if  too  strong ;  and  a  peculiar  lightness  of  touch 
will  be  necessary  to  produce  effect.  Portraits,  &c. 
may  also  be  executed  in  this  manner,  and  many 
superb  designs  have  at  times  been  executed  by  the 
best  binders  of  England  and  France.  M.  Didot, 
bookseller  of  Paris,  presented  a  copy  of  the  "Hen- 


264 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


riade,"  published  by  himself,  to  Louis  XVIII.,  most 
elegantly  ornamented  in  this  style.  It  was  exe- 
cuted by  M.  Lunier  JBellier,  bookbinder  of  Tours, 
and  exhibited  on  one  side  a  miniature  portrait  of 
Henry  IV.,  and  on  the  other  a  similar  one  of 
Louis  XVIII.,  both  perfect  likenesses.  The  great- 
est difficulty  consisted  in  the  portraits,  which  were 
first  imprinted  on  paper,  very  moist,  and  immedi- 
ately applied  to  the  cover,  on  which  they  were 
impressed  with  a  flat  roller.  When  perfectly  dry, 
they  were  coloured  with  all  the  art  of  which  the 
binder  was  capable,  and  the  other  ornamental 
paintings  executed  by  hand.  This  proceeding  re- 
quires great  care  in  the  execution,  and  will  be  appli- 
cable to  any  design  where  the  binding  will  justify 
the  expense. 

TRANSFERRED  LANDSCAPES. 

The  art  of  transferring,  long  practised  in  the 
ornamenting  of  fancy  articles,  was  judged  equally 
practicable  for  forming  a  superior  embellishment  for 
the  sides  of  books.  But  the  varnish  necessary  to 
be  employed  in  the  operation  rendered  the  inven- 
tion of  no  utility,  from  the  action  of  the  heated 
polisher  turning  it  white  or  causing  it  to  shell  off. 
After  several  trials,  this  difficulty  is  believed  to  be 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


265 


overcome,  by  the  employment  of  a  very  simple  and 
common  article  in  the  office  of  the  bookbinder, — viz. : 
new  glaire,  well  beaten  up.  The  proceeding  is  as 
follows : — Cut  the  print,  intended  to  be  transferred, 
close  to  the  design  on  all  sides.  Let  it  steep  in  the 
glaire  till  it  is  well  saturated  with  it.  During  this 
time  glaire  the  book  twice,  letting  it  dry  on  each 
application.  Take  out  the  print,  place  it  exactly  in 
the  centre  of  the  side-cover,  and,  laying  a  piece  of 
paper  above,  rub  it  sharply  on  the  book,  so  that  it 
may  adhere  very  closely.  Eemove  the  upper  paper, 
and  with  the  finger  rub  off  the  paper  gently  until 
the  printed  design  begins  to  appear,  wetting  the 
finger  in  glaire  should  the  paper  get  too  dry.  The 
utmost  attention  will  now  be  necessary,  for  the 
least  carelessness  in  removing  the  paper  that  still 
remains  may  entirely  destroy  the  design,  and  the 
whole  of  the  previous  labour  be  lost.  The  paper 
must  be  gently  removed,  piece  by  piece,  till  the 
design  only  appears  on  the  leather  while  damp. 
When  dry,  a  white  appearance  will  be  presented, 
arising  from  the  small  particles  of  paper  adhering 
to  the  ink ;  but  these  will  be  sufficiently  hid  on 
glairing  the  side  previous  to  finishing.  The  extent 
and  variety  to  which,  at  a  small  expense,  these 
designs  may  be  carried,  with  the  finish  and  beauty 


26G 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


given  to  the  sides  of  books,  renders  the  subject 
worthy  of  the  attention  of  the  ornamental  workman 
particularly ;  but  he  must  possess  perseverance  and 
carefulness  in  an  eminent  degree,  to  carry  it  to 
perfection.  After  the  gilding  or  other  ornament  is 
executed,  the  side  must  be  finished  off  in  the  usual 
manner.  A  slight  coat  of  the  varnish  described  in 
a  subsequent  part  of  the  work  will,  in  this  case, 
give  a  superior  finish. 

The  following  directions,  and  that  of  Mr. 
Buchanan's,  are  taken  from  the  circulars  of  the 
Finishers'  Friendly  Association  of  London  :— 

"Pictures  on  Calf. — We  have  heard  of  a  process 
for  transferring  prints  from  the  paper  on  which 
they  had  been  printed  to  the  sides  of  books  bound 
in  calf ;  and  in  these  days,  when  novelty  is  so  much 
sought  after,  it  might  be  worth  some  Friendly's 
while  to  test  its  efficacy,  The  side  must  be  washed 
clean,  and,  while  damp,  the  print  is  laid  thereon, 
when,  after  remaining  some  time  in  the  arming- 
press,  it  is  said  that  a  copy  of  the  engraving  will  be 
found  on  the  calf. 

"  In  sending  one  of  these  executed  in  colours  by 
him  twenty  years  ago,  a  Friendly  corrects  an  error 
w7e  committed,  by  terming  prints  pictures,  and 
writes,  '  In  preparing  the  calf,  it  is  simply  washed 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


267 


with  thin  paste-water ;  when  dry,  a  coat  or  two  of 
weak  salts  of  tartar.  When  perfectly  dry,  you  may 
proceed  with  any  subject ;  a  very  weak  brown  being 
generally  used  for  its  outline.  For  all  colours,  I 
use  two  cups  of  different  strengths,  with  jm7?-pens 
and  brushes  to  each.  The  green  is  composed  of 
Scott's  liquid  blue  and  French  berries.  These  are 
bruised  and  simmered  from  half  a  pint  to  a  quartern, 
then  caused  to  boil,  and,  while  in  that  state,  a 
pinch  of  burnt  alum  'should  be  added  to  set  the 
colour.  The  slate  is  weak  copperas ;  red  is  obtained 
from  Brazil  dust  and  vinegar,  or  Brazil  chips  boiled, 
and  solution  of  tin  added.  The  books  had  generally 
double  bands — the  lettering-pieces  stained  choco- 
late, and  the  spaces  between  bands  blacked,  or  the 
colours  "moused,"  morocco  being  too  bright  for  the 
stained  calf.  An  octagon  or  square  was  coloured 
brown,  slate,  or  sprinkled,  and  in  the  centre  a  light 
ground.  Was  the  subject  to  my  fancy,  botanical 
wTorks  with  a  group  of  plants  on  the  sides,  when 
polished  and  pressed  in  japanned  *  tins,  had  the 
neatest  appearance.  Landscapes,  animals,  insects, 
shells,  &c.  are  all  permanently  fixed  on  the  calf 
by  the  above-named  colours/  He  cod  eludes  by 
hoping   '  the  instructions  are  sufficiently  plain  to 


268 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


induce  some  aspiring  F.  F.'s  to  practise  this  almost 
forgotten  branch  of  the  art  of  finishing.' 

"  W.  Buchanan/' 

ORNAMENTAL  BLACK  LINES. 

Black  lines  in  rays,  or  intersecting  each  other  in 
the  form  of  diamonds  or  other  devices,  on  the  sides 
of  books,  which  present  a  good  appearance  if  well 
executed,  are  ruled  with  steel  or  swan  pens,  the 
nibs  being  formed  to  the  size  required  by  the  bold- 
ness of  the  lines.  The  vinegar-black  mixed  with  a 
portion  of  gum-arabic,  to  neutralize  a  part  of  the 
action  of  the  acid  and  make  it  of  a  stronger  consist- 
ency, will  be  found  to  answer  best.  Whatever  the 
pattern,  it  should  be  slightly  traced  with  the  folder, 
and  the  design  be  afterwards  marked  with  the  pen, 
kept  steady  by  the  aid  of  a  ruler. 

BLACKING  THE  SQUARES. 

Unless  coloured  uniformly,  the  whole  of  the  de- 
signs before  described  will  not  produce  the  best 
effect  if  the  squares  remain  plain  or  variously 
tinted;  it  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  black  the 
edges  and  squares  of  the  board,  and  the  cap  over 
the  head-band.  This  is  done  with  a  piece  of  any 
firm  soft  substance  on  the  edges,  and  with  a  sponge 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


2G9 


within  the  volume,  sufficiently  below  the  part  where 
the  end-papers  will  cover.  Finally,  the  covers 
should  be  well  pastewashed  and  left  to  dry. 

BANDS  AND  TITLE-PIECES. 

Where  the  backs  are  flat  it  will  be  necessary  to 
mark  the  place  intended  for  the  bands  in  gilding. 
For  this  purpose  the  binder  should  have  patterns 
of  the  various  forms  and  sizes  cut  out  of  thin 
board,  a  little  longer  and  double  the  breadth  of 
the  volumes,  so  that  they  may  be  held  firmly  on 
the  sides,  while  the  bands  are  marked  across  the 
back  through  the  apertures  cut  in  the  pattern.  It 
is  usual  to  give  a  double  band  at  the  bottom  of  the 
back,  and  therefore  this  must  be  allowed  for  in  the 
pattern,  which  lengthened  portion  must  be  placed 
even  with  the  edge  of  the  boards  at  the  tail  of  the 
volume,  and  the  bands  marked  with  the  folder.  By 
this  plan  the  whole  of  the  bands  in  sets  of  books 
will  present  a  parallel  line,  and  the  bad  effect  pro- 
duced by  the  inequalities  arising  from  compassing 
the  distances  and  trusting  to  the  sight  will  be 
avoided.  A  great  saving  of  time  is  also  effected,  as 
the  patterns  once  made  will  serve  for  a  very  con- 
siderable period. 

On  the  fancy  colours  and  sprinkles  it  is  usual  to 

23* 


210  MANUAL  OF  THE 

attach  lettering-pieces  of  morocco.  For  this  pur- 
pose the  morocco,  or  roan  if  common  work,  is  cut 
lengthways  of  the  grain,  according  to  the  space 
between  the  bands,  and  the  slip  placed  across  the 
back  to  measure  the  breadth,  and  then  cut  off.  Then, 
slightly  damping  on  the  flesh-side,  it  must  be  pared 
as  thin  and  equal  as  possible,  and  the  edges  sloped 
evenly  down,  so  as  to  bring  it  to  the  exact  size 
of  the  square  it  is  to  occupy.  Should  the  back 
require  two  pieces, — viz. :  another  for  the  volume  or 
contents, — it  may  be  proper  to  vary  the  colour. 
These  title-pieces  are  pasted  evenly  on,  a  portion 
of  paste  rubbed  over  them  with  the  finger,  and  then 
attached  firmly  and  equally  by  rubbing  down  the 
edges  with  the  folder,  when  the  paste  must  be  well 
washed  off  with  a  clean  sponge.  Where  economy 
is  an  object,  the  squares  intended  for  the  title  may 
be  darkened  with  brown  or  black,  which  will  show 
the  lettering  very  well. 

INLAID  ORNAMENTS. 

To  give  some  bindings  in  vellum,  calf,  or  morocco 
an  additional  degree  of  splendour,  it  is  sometimes 
required  to  execute  ornaments  on  the  covers  of  a 
different  colour ;  and,  as  this  is  an  important  mani- 
pulation, it  will  be  necessary  for  the  young  workman 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


271 


to  understand  it.  Let  the  pattern  be  worked  in 
blind  upon  the  volume,  taking  care  to  have  it  well 
impressed.  Pare  morocco  of  the  colour  desired 
evenly  and  thin.  While  damp,  place  it  upon  that 
portion  of  the  pattern  to  be  inlaid,  and  press  upon 
it  with  the  fingers.  The  outline  of  the  figure  will 
appear  through  the  morocco.  Then  lay  it  upon  the 
paring-stone ;  and,  with  the  same  gouges  with 
which  the  pattern  has  been  executed,  proceed  to 
cut  out  the  morocco.  The  gouges  used  for  this 
kind  of  work  should  be  made  of  steel. 

The  same  directions  will  apply  to  fancy  titles  for 
flat  backs. 

After  the  pieces  have  been  properly  cut  out,  the 
workman  will  proceed  to  paste  them  evenly  and 
adjust  them  in  their  place  upon  the  volume. 

When  dry  and  prepared,  the  book  will  then  be 
ready  for  gilding,  and  when  covered  with  the  gold 
ornament  the  joints  of  the  leather  will  not  be  per- 
ceptible, if  well  executed.  The  gouges  must  be 
worked  upon  the  edge  of  the  morocco. 

This  kind  of  ornament  is  more  frequently  exe- 
cuted on  calf  than  any  other  substance. 


272 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


COLOURS. 

In  connection  with  inlaid  ornament,  we  give  a 
few  hints  to  guide  the  workman  in  choice  of  colours. 
Much  of  the  effect  produced  will  result  from  the 
relations  which  the  colours  will  bear  to  each  other. 
A  well-executed  piece  of  work  may  be  spoiled  by 
the  injudicious  selection  of  colours.  If  the  finisher 
be  ignorant  of  the  lessons  which  nature  teaches  in 
the  distribution  of  colours,  he  cannot  expect  to 
please  a  connoisseur  whose  taste  has  been  corrected 
and  refined  by  a  study  of  the  harmonies  of  colours. 

NUMERICAL  PROPORTIONS  OF  HOMOGENEOUS  COLOURS. 
Yellow,  3.    Red,  5.    Blue,  8. 

SECONDARIES. 

r  These  are  contrasting  colours  to  the 
primaries  with  which  they  produce 
harmony  in  opposition  : — the  orange 
with  the  blue,  the  purple  with  the 
yellow,  and  the  green  with  the  red. 


3  Yellow 
5  Ked 
5  Red 
8  Blue 
3  Yellow }  r< 
8  Blue  |Green 


\  Orange. 
|  Purple. 


TERTIARIES. 

I  Olive. 
|  Citron. 


Purple 
Green 
Green 
Orange 

Sran?e   }  Russet 


The  tertiaries  stand  in  the  same  rela- 
tion to  the  secondaries  that  the  secon- 
daries do  to  the  primaries : — olive  to 
orange,  citron  to  purple,  and  russet 
to  green. 


Purple 

Yellow  is  melodized  by  orange  on  one  side  and 
green  on  the  other ;  blue  by  green  and  purple,  and 
the  red  by  purple  and  orange. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


273 


PASTING  THE  END-PAPERS,  JOINTS,  ETC. 

The  volume  being  laid  upon  the  table  or  press, 
"with  the  head  towards  the  workman  and  the  upper 
board  open,  the  guard  or  false  end-paper  must  be 
removed  and  all  other  substances  cleared  out  of  the 
joint  with  the  folder.  The  paper  to  be  pasted  on 
the  board  is  cut  at  each  end,  so  as  to  show  the  same 
margin  as  on  the  fore-edge,  and  pasted  evenly  over. 
It  is  then  carefully  laid  upon  the  board.  The 
position  being  adjusted,  a  piece  of  white  paper 
should  be  laid  thereon,  and  the  whole  rubbed  per- 
fectly even  with  the  flat  of  the  hand.  Then  with 
the  folder  rub  perfectly  square  on  the  joint.  The 
volume,  with  the  board  open,  may  then  be  turned, 
and  the  other  side  done  in  the  same  way. 

If  it  is  intended  to  execute  a  gilt  border  or  blind 
tooling  in  the  interior  of  the  cover,  it  will  be  im- 
portant that  no  part  of  the  end-paper  covers  it. 
To  avoid  this,  a  slip  must  be  cut  off  at  the  head, 
tail,  and  on  the  fore-edge,  proportionate  to  the  extra 
breadth  of  the  border  over  the  square.  Or,  if 
morocco  joints  have  been  placed  in  the  volume,  the 
two  corners  of  the  portion  left  to  be  attached  to  the 
boards  must  be  cut,  to  prevent  their  showing  above 
the  end-paper,  which  is  to  be  pasted  over  and  would 


274 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


disfigure  the  edge,  taking  care  to  leave  as  much 
leather  as  will  cover  perfectly  such  portion  as  is  in- 
tended for  the  joint  and  square  of  the  board,  so 
that,  when  the  paper  is  pasted  on,  it  will  not  be 
perceived  that  the  corners  have  been  cut  off.  Pare 
the  edge  of  the  leather  where  the  part  is  cut  off  on 
a  small  board  or  folder  placed  underneath;  after- 
wards paste  the  joint  on  the  edge  of  the  board, 
attach  it  neatly  with  the  thumb,  finger,  and  folder, 
and,  when  dry,  paste  thereon  the  marbled  or  coloured 
paper  cut  to  the  proper  size.  For  the  best  class 
of  work  the  morocco  joint  is  placed  in  the  volume 
by  the  finisher  after  the  book  is  covered. 

If  the  ends  are  of  silk,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
leave  the  silk  sufficiently  large  to  turn  the  edges 
over  a  piece  of  paper  that  has  been  cut  to  the 
required  size,  and  in  order  to  preserve  the  gloss 
and  richness  of  the  silk  it  should  not  be  pasted  on 
the  paper  upon  which  it  is  placed,  except  where  it 
is  turned  over  the  edge  of  the  paper.  The  paper  is 
then  lightly  glued  over  and  adjusted  upon  the  board. 
This  method  also  prevents  the  silk  from  ravelling  or 
presenting  a  jagged  edge.  In  all  cases,  however, 
where  the  border  is  gilt  or  otherwise  ornamented, 
below  the  level  of  the  edges  of  the  volume,  the 
ends  must  not  be  pasted  down  till  after  that  opera- 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


275 


tion  is  completed,  as  the  glaire  and  oil  would  be 
liable  to  stain,  and  present  a  bad  effect. 

For  inferior  bindings,  where  the  end-papers  are 
left  plain,  the  last  two  leaves  being  merely  pasted 


STANDING-PRESS* 


276 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


together,  the  ends  will  only  require  pasting,  and 
attaching  by  placing  the  volume  between  boards, 
and  screwing  firmly  in  the  standing-press,  im- 
mediately after  which  it  must  be  taken  out  and  the 
boards  opened,  so  as  to  make  the  joints  free. 
Almost  every  class  of  work  except  velvet  and  Tur- 
key morocco  requires  to  be  submitted  to  the  action 
of  the  standing-press  after  the  end-papers  have 
been  pasted  down,  and  then  allowed  to  become  per- 
fectly dry  by  leaving  the  boards  open.  Our  illus- 
tration is  taken  from  a  standing-press  manufactured 
by  W.  0.  Hickok,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

In  all  the  departments,  but  especially  in  finish- 
ing, cleanliness  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  It 
matters  not  how  graceful  may  be  the  design,  how 
perfectly  the  tools  may  be  worked;  all  may  be 
spoiled  by  a  volume  having  a  dirty  appearance. 
Therefore,  have  every  thing  clean  about  you, — cups, 
sponges,  and  brushes.  Let  your  size,  pastewash, 
and  glaire,  be  clean ;  your  oil-cotton  the  same. 
Do  not  lay  on  the  gold  until  the  preparation  is  dry. 
After  the  working  of  your  tools,  be  particular  in 
cleaning  off  the  gold,  so  that  no  portions  or  specks 
remain  that  should  not,  for  they  will  have  the  ap- 
pearance of  dirt.  In  calf-work,  especially,  be  care- 
ful of  grease,  or  of  any  thing  that  will  soil  the 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


277 


leather.  In  summer-time  great  care  must  be  taken 
to  protect  your  work  from  the  flies,  particularly 
after  your  backs  are  worked  off.  The  little  pests 
will  eat  the  glaire  off  in  places,  and  give  the  book 
an  unsightly  appearance. 

VARNISH, 

AS  USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 

The  first,  by  the  celebrated  Tingry,  is  made  in 
the  following  manner: — 

Put  into  a  vessel  six  ounces  of  mastic,  in  drops, 

three  ounces  of  sandarac  finely  powdered,  four 

ounces  of  coarsely-broken  glass,  separated  from  the 

dust  by  a  sieve,  and  thirty-two  ounces  of  spirits  of 

wine,  of  about  forty  degrees.   Place  the  vessel  upon 

straw  in  another  filled  wTith  cold  water;  put  it  on 

the  fire  and  let  it  boil,  stirring  the  substances 

together  with  a  stick,  to  keep  the  resins  from 

uniting.    When  the  whole  appears  well  mixed,  put 

in  three  ounces  of  turpentine,  and  boil  for  another 

half-hour,  when  the  whole  must  be  taken  off  and 

stirred  till  the  varnish  and  the  water  in  which  it  is 

placed  cools.    Next  day,  filter  it  through  a  fine 

cotton,  by  which  means  it  will  acquire  the  greatest 

degree  of  limpidity,  and  well  cork  up  in  a  bottle. 

24 


278 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


The  other  recipe  is  given  by  Mons.  F.  Mairet,  of 
Chdtillon  sur  Seine,  and  may  be  prepared  similar 
to  the  above.  The  ingredients  are,  three  pints  of 
spirits  of  wine,  of  thirty-six  to  forty  degrees,  eight 
ounces  of  sandarac,  two  ounces  of  mastic  in  drops, 
eight  ounces  of  shell-lac,  and  two  ounces  of  Venice 
turpentine. 

The  varnish  is  first  put  on  the  back  of  the  book 
with  a  camel's-hair  brush  as  lightly  as  possible. 
When  nearly  dry,  it  is  polished  with  a  ball  formed 
of  fine  white  cotton,  filled  with  wool,  on  which  has 
been  rubbed  a  small  quantity  of  olive-oil,  to  make 
it  glide  freely;  it  must  be  rubbed  at  first  lightly, 
and,  as  fast  as  the  varnish  dries  and  becomes  warm, 
more  sharply.  The  sides  are  in  like  manner 
polished  one  after  the  other. 

Varnish  is  applied  after  the  volume  has  been 
polished  by  the  iron,  in  order  to  retain  the  brilliancy 
and  preserve  the  volume  from  the  bad  effects  pro- 
duced by  flies  eating  off  the  glaire.  The  manu- 
factured article  now  in  general  use  is  applied  by  a 
soft  sponge  being  lightly  passed  over  the  volumes 
after  a  small  portion  of  varnish  has  been  applied  to 
the  sponge. 


ART   OF  BOOKBINDING. 


279 


STAMPING. 

For  gilding  the  sides  and  even  backs  of  pub- 
lishers' work,  or  in  fact  any  other  where  a  quantity 
of  gilding  is  desired  at  little  expense,  the  stamping- 
press  is  brought  into  requisition,  and  by  means  of 
tools  cut  for  the  purpose,  called  blocks  or  stamps,  the 
design  is  impressed  on  the  side.  These  stamps  may 
be  made  of  very  small  pieces,  and,  by  having  a  num- 
ber of  them,  the  patterns  produced  may  be  almost 
indefinite.  The  stamps  are  affixed  to  an  iron  or  brass 
plate,  called  a  back  or  foundation-plate,  upon  which 
a  piece  of  stout  paper  has  been  glued.  Then  let 
the  workman  mark  upon  the  plate  the  exact  size  of 
the  side  to  be  stamped,  marking  it  evenly  with  the 
compasses,  so  as  to  justify  the  stamps;  then  strike 
the  centre,  and  draw  lines  upon  the  paper  from  the 
centre,  so  as  to  divide  it  into  squares  or  to  any 
given  part,  so  as  to  afford  freedom  for  selection  in 
the  starting-point  of  the  design.  For  it  must  be 
manifest  that  if  a  workman  starts  all  his  patterns 
from  the  same  point,  notwithstanding  he  may  have 
a  variety  of  tools  at  his  disposal,  his  patterns  will 
exhibit  a  great  deal  of  uniformity.  Let  the  paper 
be  glued  equally  over  the  surface,  and  proceed  to 
form  the  pattern  by  arranging  the  stamps  upon  the 


280 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


plate  so  as  to  exhibit  the  design.  A  great  deal  of 
taste  can  be  displayed  in  the  formation  of  patterns 
for  stamping;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  public 
generally  desiring  a  mass  of  gilt  gingerbread-work, 
this  branch  has  been  but  little  cultivated;  the 
prevalent  opinion  among  stampers  being  that  it  is  no 
matter  what  is  put  upon  the  side  so  that  it  is  well 
covered  with  gold.  Publishers  find  those  books  that 
are  the  most  tawdrily  gilt  are  soonest  disposed  of; 
hence,  every  thing  is  sacrificed  to  a  gaudy  exterior. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  art  will  be  relieved  from 
this  degraded  ornamentation.  Stampers  themselves 
can  do  something  to  purify  and  correct  the  public 
taste  by  avoiding  the  unmeaning  collections  con- 
fusedly huddled  together,  so  often  seen  upon  sides. 
Every  remark  in  regard  to  style,  design,  and  com- 
bination of  tools  in  the  hand-finisher's  department 
applies  with  equal  force  to  stamp-work ;  and,  although 
the  stamps  used  in  the  latter  are  not  so  plastic 
as  those  in  hand-work,  still  great  results  will  be 
achieved;  for,  notwithstanding  the  superiority  of 
hand-work  for  artistic  expression  and  permanence, 
press-work  will  always  maintain  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  the  art,  producing,  as  it  does,  striking  results 
at  a  trifling  expense.  After  the  pattern  is  formed, 
take  a  little  paste  and  touch  the  under  side  of  each 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


281 


stamp,  and  place  theni  in  exact  position.  After 
this  is  done  and  the  paste  has  become  hard,  lay  the 
stamp  or  pattern  thus  formed  upon  the  side  of  the 
volume,  taking  care  to  have  the  same  margin  on  the 
front,  back,  and  ends.  Then  place  the  board  or 
side  upon  which  the  stamp  is  placed  upon  the  platen 
or  bed  of  the  stamping-press,  leaving  the  volume 
hanging  down  in  front  of  the  platen,  which  is  then 
moved  to  the  centre  of  the  upper  platen,  so  that  the 
clamps  will  touch  the  plate  on  both  edges  at  the 
same  moment ;  then  pull  the  lever  so  as  to  put  a 
slight  pressure  upon  the  plate  in  order  to  keep  both 
it  and  the  side  in  their  proper  place;  then  adjust 
the  guides  to  the  fore-edge  and  head  or  left-hand 
side,  and  screw  them  fast ;  throw  back  the  lever,  take 
out  the  book;  examine  and  correct  any  irregularity 
in  the  margin  of  the  pattern  by  moving  the  guides. 
When  perfectly  square,  place  a  soft  pasteboard 
under  the  stamp,  pull  down  the  press,  and  apply 
heat.  This  will  set  the  stamps  or  harden  the  paste 
and  glue  in  a  short  time,  so  that  they  will  not  fall 
off  in  stamping  —  a  great  annoyance.  Work  for 
stamping  does  not  require  so  much  body  or  prepara- 
tion as  if  it  were  to  be  gilt  by  hand.  Morocco  can 
be  worked  by  merely  being  washed  with  urine ;  but 

it  is  safer  to  use  a  coat  of  size,  or  glaire  and  water 

24* 


282 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


mixed  in  proportions  of  one  of  the  former  to  three 
of  the  latter.  Grained  sheep,  or,  as  it  is  called, 
imitation-morocco,  requires  more  body  to  gild  well. 
After  the  books  are  ready  for  laying  on,  the  gold- 
leaf  is  cut  upon  the  cushion  to  the  required  size,  or, 
if  the  volume  be  large  and  the  stamp  will  cover  its 
superficial  extent,  the  leaf  may  be  lifted  froxn  the 
gold-book  by  means  of  a  block  covered  with  wadding 
or  cotton  lap  and  laid  immediately  upon  the  side. 
After  an  oiled  rag  has  been  lightly  passed  over  the 
surface  of  the  leather  to  cause  the  gold  to  adhere 
until  it  is  put  under  the  press,  examine  the  press 
to  see  if  sufficiently  heated  for  the  purpose.  A  little 
experience  will  soon  determine  the  requisite  amount 
of  heat  as  a  general  rule.  Leather-work  does  not 
require  as  hot  a  tool  for  stamping  as  for  hand-work, 
while  cloth  or  muslin-work  requires  a  short,  quick 
stroke,  and  the  press  to  be  hotter  than  for  leather. 
In  most  binderies  the  stamping-press  is  heated  by 
introducing  steam  or  gas  through  tubes  perforated 
for  the  purpose ;  though  a  few  still  use  the  heaters, 
which,  after  being  heated  in  a  furnace,  are  placed 
in  the  holes  of  the  upper  platen.  After  the  press 
is  properly  heated,  throw  back  the  lever ;  take  out 
the  pasteboard  from  under  the  stamp ;  regulate  the 
degree  of  pressure  required  for  the  stamp;  then 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


283 


place  the  side  to  be  stamped  upon  the  bed-plate, 
holding  it  firmly  against  the  guides  with  the  left 
hand,  while  with  the  right  the  lever  is  quickly 
drawn  to  the  front.  This  straightens  the  toggles  and 
causes  a  sharp  impression  of  the  stamp  upon  the 
leather;  immediately  throw  back  the  lever;  take 
out  the  side,  and  rub  off  with  a  rag  the  superfluous 
gold.  Repeat  the  operation  upon  the  other  side, 
unless  the  stamp  be  of  an  upright  design ;  it  will 
then  be  necessary  to  turn  the  stamp  in  the  press 
before  operating  upon  the  other  side.  Case-work 
or  covers  that  are  stamped  before  being  put  upon 
the  books  are  done  in  the  same  manner,  the  backs 


LETTERING  AND  GILDING  PRESS,  No.  L 


being  also  stamped  before  being  glued  on.  The 
preceding  cut  of  a  stamping-press  for  gilding  light 


284 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


work,  lettering,  &c,  is  of  the  most  approved  con- 
struction, while  for  large,  heavy  work,  either  gilt  or 
stamped  blind,  (embossed,  as  it  is  erroneously  called,) 


EMBOSSING  PRESS,  No.  2. 


and  for  cloth-work  generally,  the  wheel-press  is  best 
adapted.  It  can  be  worked  either  by  hand  or  by 
power.  The  fly-wheel  can  be  kept  revolving  while 
the  workman  is  engaged  in  feeding  the  press.  The 
lever  is  used  for  light  work.  It  will  be  perceived 
that  the  upper  platen  of  this  press,  to  which  the 


Modernized  G+>fhu\ 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


285 


stamp  is  attached,  is  stationary,  thereby  giving  great 
advantages  in  arranging  pipes  for  heating  by  gas, 
and  also  for  carrying  off  the  smoke  and  unconsumed 
gas  that  would  otherwise  escape  into  #  the  room. 
These  presses  are  manufactured  by  I.  Adams  & 
Co.,  Boston. 

A  description  of  the  various  processes  to  produce 
by  stamping  the  rich  effects  of  inlaid  work  will  be 
found  under  the  head  of  Illuminated  Binding  and 
that  of  Inlaid  Ornaments.  For  publishers'  work 
it  is  a  point  of  economy  to  have  a  steel-cutter  that 
will  cut  out  the  pattern  at  one  blow.  For  this  kind 
of  work,  coloured  German  paper  is  used  instead  of 
leather  for  inlaying. 

Thin  boards  are  cut  out  with  the  aid  of  steel- 
cutters  and  the  stamping-press,  and  affixed  to  the 
volumes ;  and,  after  they  are  covered,  they  are 
stamped  in  gold  and  blind  with  patterns  corre- 
sponding with  the  figure  of  the  cutter.  This  can 
only  be  applied  where  there  are  a  large  number 
of  volumes,  although  single  volumes  may  be  cut  out 
by  hand  at  an  increase  of  expense. 

The  modernized  Gothic  design  (Plate  IX.)  is  in- 
tended for  a  side-plate,  to  be  worked  either  in  gold 
or  blank.  The  light  floriated  design  (Plate  X.)  is 
calculated  to  be  worked  in  gold,  and  is  a  good  illus- 


286 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


tration  of  the  prevailing  treatment  of  the  style  for 
which  it  has  been  expressly  designed.  The  pattern 
upon  Plate  XI.  is  intended  for  press-work,  to  be 
blank-stamped.  The  contrast  of  light  and  heavy 
•work  producing  a  fine  effect,  it  is  well  adapted  for 
a  side-stamp,  especially  for  cloth-work. 

Plate  XII.  is  a  graceful  design  from  a  "Hint" 
of  Mr.  Leighton's.  It  is  suited  for  a  side-stamp, 
to  be  worked  in  gold ;  and  with  it  closes  our  illustra- 
tions of  design. 

To  obviate  a  difficulty  that  the  young  finisher 
will  experience  in  his  first  attempts  at  designing, 
let  him  select  a  good  quality  of  sized  paper,  cut  it 
to  the  required  size,  then  fold  it  carefully  into  four 
parts,  and  draw  his  pattern  boldly  upon  one  of  the 
four  corners  with  a  lead-pencil.  After  that  is  done, 
slightly  damp  the  opposite  corner,  fold  the  drawn 
portion  so  that  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  damp 
surface,  and  rub  it  upon  the  back,  so  as  to  transfer 
the  outlines  of  the  drawing.  When  it  appears  'with 
sufficient  distinctness,  trace  it  carefully  over  with 
the  pencil,  and  repeat  the  process  upon  the  other 
corners  until  the  pattern  is  complete.  This  method 
insures  accuracy  and  expedition.  In  working  a 
pattern  with  gouges  or  with  intersected  lines,  the 
same  principle  is  applied,  so  as  to  reproduce  the 


fijrpressty  for  Cfoth  Wjrk  after  JTolheiJb's  Style. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


287 


pattern  precisely  alike  at  the  four  corners,  and  to 
save  time.  In  this  case  the  paper  is  folded,  and  one 
impression  of  the  tool  answers  for  both  sides  of  the 
pattern. 

Let  the  young  finisher  but  feel  a  love  for  his  art, 
make  himself  familiar  with  the  best  specimens,  and 
determine  to  excel ;  and  eventually  his  productions 
will  be  esteemed,  his  ability  command  the  best 
situations,  and  he  will  be  recognised  as  an  artist. 

CUTTING-MACHINES. 

For  cutting  paper,  pamphlets,  and  books  "  out 
of  boards,"  a  number  of  machines  have  been  in- 
vented, and  are  used  in  many  binderies,  especially 
in  those  where  large  quantities  of  "  cloth-work" 
are  bound.  They  have  been  found  to  answer  for 
this  class  of  work  very  well.  Some  of  them  ope- 
rate with  sufficient  nicety  to  cut  books  for  case- 
work that  are  intended  for  gilt  edges,  when  they 
are  not  to  be  scraped.  For  first-class  work,  cut 
"  in  boards,"  nothing  has  been  discovered  to  su- 
persede the  old-fashioned  mode  of  cutting  with  the 
plough  and  press. 


MANUAL  OF  THE 


PATENT  PAPER  AND  BOOK  TRIMMER. 

The  above  cut  of  one  of  these  machines,  from 
the  manufactory  of  I.  Adams  &  Co.,  Boston,  will 
serve  to  convey  a  general  idea  of  its  appearance ; 
and  the  names  of  the  makers  are  a  sufficient  gua- 
rantee of  the  mechanical  perfection  of  its  details. 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING. 


289 


TRANSLATION  OF  DATES. 

Many  old  books  have  their  dates  printed  in  a 
manner  which  puzzles  the  finisher,  should  he  be  re- 
quired to  date  any  so  printed,  which  are  too  thin  to 
admit  of  its  being  done  as  on  the  title-page.  The 
following  key  is  here  given,  as  it  may  be  found 
useful  in  such  cases : — c.  100 ;  Io,  or  d,  500 ;  do 
or  M,  1000  ;  loo,  5000 ;  ccloo,  10,000;  Iooo,  50,000  ; 
ccclooo,  100,000.  Thus,  do,  Io,  clxxxviii — 1688. 
While  on  this  subject,  it  may  not  be  inappro- 
priate to  notice  the  dating  of  some  books  printed 
in  France  during  the  republic  in  that  country. 
Thus,  "An.  xm." — 1805,  that  being  the  thir- 
teenth year  of  the  republic,  which  commenced 
in  1792. 


RESTORING  THE  BINDINGS  OF  OLD  BOOKS. 

Old  bindings  often  look  badly  on  account  of  the 
leather  becoming  dry  and  cracked,  or  the  surface 
of  the  skin  having  been  rubbed  off  in  places. 
To  obviate  this,  take  a  small  quantity  of  paste 

and   rub  it  carefully  with   the  finger   upon  the 

25 


290  *  MANUAL  OF  THE 

portions  that  require  it ;  after  it  is  dry,  wash  the 
volume  carefully  over  with  a  thin  solution  of  glue 
size.  When  dry,  the  volume  may  be  varnished, 
and  afterwards  rubbed  over  with  a  cloth  in  which 
a  few  drops  of  sweet  oil  have  been  dropped. 


SUPPLYING  IMPERFECTIONS  IN  OLD  BOOKS. 

It  often  occurs  that  a  valuable  and  rare  work 
has  a  leaf  torn  or  missing.  In  order  to  supply  it, 
the  first  step  will  be  to  obtain  the  use  of  a  perfect 
copy  as  a  model.  Then  procure  paper  of  the 
same  colour  as  the  leaf  to  be  mended,  and  cut  it 
carefully  to  correspond  with  the  torn  portion. 
After  the  piece  has  been  neatly  adjusted,  tip 
it  and  the  leaf,  very  lightly,  along  the  edges 
with  paste  made  of  rice-flour ;  then  place  a  piece 
of  tissue-paper  on  both  sides  of  the  leaf,  and 
smooth  it  carefully  with  the  folder ;  then  close 
the  volume  and  allow  it  to  remain  until  perfectly 
dry.  Then  proceed  to  remove  the  tissue-paper, 
and  it  will  be  found  that  the  portions  that  adhere 
where  the  joining  occurs  will  be  strong  enough 
to  secure  the  piece  to  the  leaf  of  the  book.  The 


ART  OF  BOOKBINDING, 


291 


letters  may  be  then  copied  from  the  perfect  copy 
and  traced  upon  the  inserted  piece.  The  general 
appearance  will  depend  upon  the  skill  displayed 
in  order  to  produce  a  successful  imitation  of  the 
original. 


HINTS 

TO  BOOK-COLLECTORS. 


Never  write  your  name  upon  the  title-page  of  a 
book. 

Have  your  "books  cut  as  large  as  possible,  so  as  to 
preserve  the  integrity  of  the  margin. 

Do  not  adopt  one  style  of  binding  for  all  your 
books. 

Let  the  bindings  upon  your  books  be  charac- 
teristic of  the  contents  and  of  the  value  of  the 
work. 

Employ  Turkey  morocco  for  large  works  or  for 
books  that  you  have  in  constant  use.  It  is  the 
most  durable  material  used  in  binding,  except  Le- 
vant morocco,  which  is  very  expensive. 

English  coloured  calf  makes  a  beautiful  covering, 
and  bears  full  gilt  tooling  better  than  morocco. 
The  latter,  if  too  richly  charged,  is  apt  to  look 
tawdry. 
292 


HINTS  TO  BOOK-COLLECTORS.  293 


Let  the  durability  and  neatness  of  your  bind- 
ings be  the  primary  requisites.  Ornament  judi- 
ciously and  sparingly,  rather  than  carelessly  or 
gaudily. 

Poetry  and  sermons  are  not  to  be  treated  alike, 
either  in  colour  or  degree  of  ornament  to  be  em- 
ployed. 

The  value  of  a  library  will  be  enhanced  by  the 
amount  of  knowledge  and  taste  displayed  in  the 
bindings. 

Russia  leather  is  no  protection  against  worms, 
and  it  speedily  cracks  along  the  joint. 

Uncut  books  will  command  a  higher  price  than 
those  that  are  cropped. 

To  bind  a  book  well,  it  should  have  ample  time  to 
dry  after  each  process. 

When  you  receive  a  volume  from  the  binder, 
place  it  upon  your  shelf  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
adjoining  volumes  will  press  tightly  against  it  and 
keep  it  closed ;  or,  if  you  lay  it  upon  your  table, 
place  other  volumes  upon  it,  to  prevent  the  boards 
from  warping,  and  do  not,  for  some  time,  use  it 
near  the  fire. 

Upon  opening  a  volume,  do  not  grasp  the 
leaves  tightly  in  your  hands.  You  might  thereby 
break  the  back.    If  the  book  is  too  tight  in  the 

25* 


294  HINTS  TO  BOOK-COLLECTORS. 


back,  lay  it  upon  a  flat  surface,  and  open  it  by 
taking  a  few  sheets  at  a  time,  and  lightly  pressing 
upon  the  open  leaves,  going  thus  from  the  begin- 
ing  to  the  end,  until  the  requisite  freedom  is 
obtained. 

Use  a  paper-knife,  or  folder,  to  cut  up  the 
leaves  of  your  uncut  books,  so  that  the  edges 
•will  be  smooth  and  even ;  otherwise  the  book  will 
have  to  be  cut  down  when  it  is  bound. 

Do  not  bind  a  newly-printed  book.  It  is  liable 
to  set  off  in  the  pressing. 

Never  destroy  an  original  binding  upon  an  old 
volume  if  the  binding  be  in  tolerable  condition. 
An  old  book  should  not  be  rebound,  unless  it  is 
essential  to  its  preservation ;  and  then  it  should  be, 
as  far  as  possible,  a  restoration. 

Carefully  preserve  old  writings  and  autographs 
upon  fly-leaves,  unless  they  are  trivial.  It  is  an 
act  of  courtesy  to  the  former  owner  of  a  book 
to  place  his  book-plate  on  the  end-board  of  the 
volume. 

Any  blank-leaves  that  occur  in  old  volumes 
should  not  be  removed.  The  bastard  or  half  title 
should  always  be  preserved. 

Have  all  oblong  plates  placed  in  such  a  manner 


HINTS  TO  BOOK-COLLECTORS. 


295 


that  the  inscription  under  them  will  read  from  the 
tail  to  the  head  of  the  volume. 

Never  bind  a  large  map  with  a  small  volume. 
It  is  liable  to  tear  away;  and,  in  pressing  the 
volume,  it  makes  unseemly  marks.  Maps  and  plans 
should  be  affixed  to  blank  leaves,  so  as  to  open 
clear  of  the  volume,  that  the  reader  may  have  the 
plan  and  text  to  examine  together 

It  is  a  false  economy  to  bind  up  a  number  of 
volumes  together,  especially  if  they  are  of  different 
sizes  and  upon  different  subjects. 

Keep  your  books  dry,  but  not  too  warm.  Gas  is 
injurious  in  a  library,  especially  to  the  gilding  upon 
the  books. 

Do  not  place  books  with  uncut  tops  where  the 
dust  will  fall  upon  them.  It  will  penetrate  between 
the  leaves  and  mar  the  interior  of  the  volumes. 

Avoid  placing  books  with  clasps  or  carved  sides 
upon  the  shelves.  They  will  mark  and  scratch 
their  neighbours. 

Never  fold  down  corners,  or  wet  your  fingers, 
when  reading  or  turning  over  the  pages  of  a  book. 

Do  not  read  a  book  at  table.  Crumbs  are  apt  to 
penetrate  into  the  back-fold  of  the  leaves. 

Books  are  not  intended  for  card-racks  or  for 
receptacles  of  botanical  specimens, 


296 


HINTS  TO  BOOK-COLLECTORS. 


Never  leave  a  book  open,  face  downward,  under 
the  pretext  of  keeping  the  place.  If  it  remain 
long  in  that  condition,  it  will  probably  ever  after- 
wards jump  open  at  that  place. 

Never  pull  books  out  of  the  shelves  by  the  head- 
bands, or  suffer  them  to  stand  long  upon  the 
fore-edge. 

Books  should  not  be  toasted  before  a  fire  or  be 
converted  into  cushions  to  sit  upon. 

Saturate  a  rag  with  camphor,  and,  when  dry, 
occasionally  wipe  the  dust  from  your  books  with  it, 
and  you  will  not  be  annoyed  with  book-worms. 

Treat  books  gently ;  for  "  books  are  kind  friends. 
We  benefit  by  their  advice,  and  they  exact  no  con- 
fessions.' ' 


USED  IN 

BOOKBINDING. 


All- Along. — When  a  volume  is  sewed,  and  the 
thread  passes  from  kettle-stitch  to  kettle- 
stitch,  or  from  end  to  end  in  each  sheet,  it  is 
said  to  be  sewed  ail-along. 

Asterisk — A  sign  used  by  the  printers  at  the 
bottom  of  the  front  page  of  the  duplicate- 
leaves  printed  to  supply  the  place  of  those 
cancelled. 


Backing-Boards. — Are  used  for  backing  or  forming 
the  joint.  They  are  made  of  very  hard 
wood  or  faced  with  iron,  and  are  thicker 
on  the  edge  intended  to  form  the  groove 
than  upon  the  edge  that  goes  towards  the 
fore-edge,  so  that  the  whole  power  of  the 
laying-press  may  be  directed  towards  the 
back, 

297 


298 


TECHNICAL  TERMS 


Baching -Hammer. — The  hammer  used  for  backing 
and  rounding :  it  has  a  broad,  flat  face,  similar 
to  a  shoemaker's  hammer. 

Bands. — The  twines  whereon  the  sheets  of  a  volume 
are  sewn.  When  the  book  is  sewed  flexible 
the  bands  appear  upon  the  back.  When 
the  back  is  sawn  so  as  to  let  in  the  twine, 
the  appearance  of  raised  bands  is  produced 
by  glueing  narrow  strips  of  leather  across 
the  back  before  the  volume  is  covered. 

Band-Driver. — A  tool  used  in  forwarding  to  cor- 
rect irregularities  in  the  bands  of  flexible 
backs. 

Bead. — The  little  roll  formed  by  the  knot  of  the 
headband. 

Bleed. — When  a  book  is  cut  into  the  print  it  is  said 
to  bleed. 

Bevelled  Boards. — Very  heavy  boards  for  the  sides 

champered  around  the  edges 
Blind-Tooled. — When  the  tools  are  impressed  upon 

the  leather,  without  being  gilt,  they  are  said 

to  be  blind  or  blank. 
Boards. — Are  of  various  kinds,  such  as  pressing, 

backing,  cutting,  burnishing,  gilding,  &c. 

The  pasteboards  used  for  side-covers  are 

termed  boards.   The  boards  used  for  cutting 


USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 


299 


books  "out  of  boards"  are  called  steamboat- 
boards.  Tinned  boards  are  used  for  finished 
work ;  while  brass  or  iron-bound  boards  are 
used  for  pressing  cloth-work. 

Bodkin  or  Stabbing-Aivl. — A  strong  point  of  iron 
or  steel,  fixed  on  a  wooden  handle,  to  form 
the  holes  in  the  boards  required  to  lace  in 
the  bands.  Used  also  for  tracing  the  lines 
for  cutting  the  fore-edge. 

Bole. — -A  preparation  used  in  gilding  edges. 

Bolt. — The  fold  in  the  head  and  fore-edge  of  the 
sheets.  Also  the  small  bar  with  a  screw 
used  to  secure  the  knife  to  the  plough. 

Bosses. — Brass  plates  attached  to  the  sides  of  vo- 
lumes for  their  preservation. 

BroJce  up.  — When  plates  are  turned  over  and 
folded  at  a  short  distance  from  the  back- 
edge,  before  they  are  placed  so  as  to  enable 
them  to  turn  easily  in  the  volume,  they  are 
said  to  be  broke  up.  The  same  process 
is  sometimes  applied  to  the  entire  volume. 

Burnish. — The  effect  produced  by  the  application 
of  the  burnisher  to  the  edges. 

Burnishers. — Are  pieces  of  agate  or  bloodstone 
affixed  to  handles. 


300 


TECHNICAL  TERMS 


Cancels. — Leaves  containing  errors  which  are  to  be 
cut  out  and  replaced  with  corrected  pages. 

Caps. — The  leather  covering  of  the  headband. 
Applies  also  to  the  paper  envelopes  used  to 
protect  the  edges  while  the  volume  is  being 
covered  and  finished. 

Case-  Work. — Work  in  which  the  boards  are  covered 
and  stamped.  The  volume  is  then  glued 
upon  the  back  and  stuck  into  them. 

Catch-Word. — A  word  met  with  in  early-printed 
books  at  the  bottom  of  the  page,  which 
word  is  the  first  on  the  following  page. 
Now  used  to  denote  the  first  and  last 
word  in  an  encyclopaedia  or  other  book 
of  reference. 

Centre-Tools. — Are  single,  upright,  or  independent 
tools  used  for  the  middle  of  the  panels  by 
the  finisher. 

Clearing  Out.  —  Kemoving  the  waste-paper  and 
paring  away  any  superfluous  leather  upon 
the  inside,  preparatory  to  pasting  down  the 
lining-paper. 

Collating. — Examining  the  signatures,  after  the 
volume  is  gathered,  to  ascertain  if  they  be 
correct  and  follow  in  numerical  order. 

Corners.  —  The   triangular    brass  tools   used  in 


USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 


301 


finishing  backs  and  sides.  The  gilt  orna- 
ments used  on  velvet  books.  Also,  the 
leather  pasted  on  the  corners  of  half-bound 
books. 

Creaser. — The  tool  used  in  marking  each  side  of  the 

bands,  generally  made  of  steel. 
Cropped. — When  a  book  has  been  cut  down  too 

much  it  is  said  to  be  cropped. 

Dentelle. — A  fine  tooled  border  resembling  lace- 
work. 

Edge-Rolled. — When  the  edges  of  the  boards  are 
rolled.    It  may  be  either  in  gold  or  blind. 

Embossed. — When  a  plate  is  stamped  upon  the 
cover  so  as  to  present  a  raised  figure  or 
design,  it  is  said  to  be  embossed.  Some 
inappropriately  term  this  kind  of  work  Ara- 
besque. 

End-Papers. — The  paper  placed  at  each  end  of  the 
volume,  a  portion  of  which  is  removed  when 
the  lining-paper  is  pasted  down  upon  the 
boards.    Also  called  Waste-Papers. 

Fillet. — The  cylindrical  ornament  used  in  finishing 
upon  which  simple  lines  are  engraved. 

26 


302 


TECHNICAL  TERMS 


Finishing. — Is  that  department  that  receives  the 
volumes  after  they  are  put  in  leather, 
and  ornaments  them  as  required.  One 
who  works  at  this  branch  is  termed  a 
finisher. 

Finishers'  Press. — Is  the  same  as  a  laying-press, 

only  much  smaller. 
Flexible. — When  a  book  is  sewn  on  raised  bands 

and  the  thread  is  passed  entirely  round  each 

band. 

Folder. — This  is  a  flat  piece  of  bone  or  ivory  used 
in  folding  the  sheets  and  in  many  other 
manipulations.  Also  applied  to  a  female 
engaged  in  folding  sheets. 

Fore-Edge. — The  front  edge  of  the  book. 

Foundation-Plate. — A  plate  of  iron  or  brass  upon 
which  side-stamps  are  affixed. 

Forwarding. — Is  that  branch  that  takes  the  books 
after  they  are  sewed  and  advances  them 
until  they  are  put  in  leather  ready  for  the 
finisher.  One  who  works  at  this  branch  is 
termed  a  forwarder. 

Full-Bound. — When  the  sides  of  a  volume  are  en- 
tirely covered  with  leather,  it  is  said  to  be 
full-bound. 


USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 


303 


Gathering. — The  process  of  arranging  the  sheets 
according  to  the  signatures. 

Gauge. — Used  in  forwarding  to  take  the  correct 
size  of  the  volume  and  to  mark  it  upon  the 
boards  for  squaring. 

Gilt. — Is  applied  to  both  the  edges  and  to  the 
ornaments  in  finishing. 

Glaire. — The  whites  of  eggs. 

Grater. — An  iron  instrument  used  by  the  forwarder 
for  rubbing  the  backs  after  they  are  paste- 
washed. 

Gouge. — A  tool  used  in  finishing,  the  face  of  which 
is  a  line  forming  the  segment  of  a  circle. 

Guards. — Strips  of  paper  inserted  in  the  backs  of 
books  intended  for  the  insertion  of  plates, 
to  prevent  the  book  being  uneven  when 
filled ;  also  the  strips  upon  which  plates  are 
mounted. 

Guides. — The  groove  in  which  the  plough  moves 
upon  the  face  of  the  cutting-press. 

Half-Bound. — When  a  volume  is  covered  with 
leather  upon  the  back  and  corners,  and 
the  sides  are  covered  with  paper  or 
cloth. 

Hand-Letters. — Letters  cut  and  affixed  to  handles. 


304 


TECHNICAL  TERMS 


and  adjusted  singly  upon  the  volume  when 
lettering  it. 

Head  and  Tail. — The  top  and  bottom  of  a  book. 
Headband. — The  silk  or  cotton  ornament  worked  at 

the  ends  so  as  to  make  the  back  even  with 

the  squares. 

Imperfections. — Sheets  rejected  on  account  of  being 
in  some  respect  imperfect,  and  for  which 
others  are  required  to  make  the  work 
complete. 

In  Boards. — When  a  volume  is  cut  after  the  paste- 
boards are  affixed  to  form  the  sides,  it 
is  said  to  be  cut  in  boards.  The  term 
is  also  applied  to  a  style  of  binding  in 
which  the  boards  are  merely  covered  with 
paper. 

Inset. — The  pages  cut  off  in  folding  and  placed  in 

the  middle  of  the  sheet. 
Inside  Tins. — So  called  from  being  placed  inside 

of  the  boards  when  the  volume  is  put  in  the 

standing-press. 

Joints. — The  projections  formed  in  backing  to  ad- 
mit the  boards ;  applied  also  to  the  inside 
when  the  volume  is  covered. 


USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 


305 


Justification.  —  The  observance  that  the  pages  of 
a  volume  agree  and  are  parallel  through- 
out, so  as  to  insure  a  straight  and  equal 
margin. 

Kettle-Stitch. — The  stitch  which  the  sewer  makes  at 
the  head  and  tail  of  a  book ;  said  to  be  a 
corruption  of  chain-stitch. 

Keys. — The  little  instruments  used  to  secure  the 
bands  to  the  sewing-press. 

Knoching-Down  Iron,  so  called  from  having  the 
slips,  when  laced  in,  pounded  down  upon  it, 
so  that  they  will  not  show  when  the  book  is 
covered. 

Laced  In. — When  the  boards  are  affixed  to  the 
volume  by  means  of  the  bands  being  passed 
through  holes  made  in  the  boards,  they  are 
said  to  be  laced  in. 

Lettering-Block. — A  piece  of  wood,  the  upper  sur- 
face being  rounded,  upon  which  side-labels 
are  lettered. 

Lettering-Box. — The  box  in  which  the  type  are 
screwed  up  preparatory  to  lettering. 

Lining-Paper. — The  coloured  or  marbled  paper  at 
each  end  of  the  volume. 


306 


TECHNICAL  TERMS 


Marbler. — The  workman  who  marbles  the  edges  of 
books,  &c. 

Mitred. — When  the  lines  in  finishing  intersect  each 
other  at  right  angles  and  are  continued  with- 
out overrunning  each  other,  they  are  said  to 
be  mitred. 

Out  of  Boards. — When  a  volume  is  cut  before  the 
boards  are  affixed,  it  is  said  to  be  done  out 
of  boards. 

Overcasting. — An  operation  in  sewing,  wThen  the 
work  consists  of  single  leaves  or  plates. 

Pallet. — Name  given  to  the  tools  used  in  gilding 

upon  the  bands,  sometimes  applied  to  the 

lettering-box. 
Panel. — The  space  between  bands ;  also  applied  to 

bevelled  and  sunk  sides. 
Papering  Up. — Covering  the  edges  after  they  are 

gilt,  so  as  to  protect  them  while  the  volume 

is  being  covered  and  finished. 
Paring. — Reducing  the  edges  of  the  leather  by 

forming  a  gradual  slope. 
Pastewash. — A  thin  dilution  of  paste  in  water. 
Pencil. — A  small  brush  of  camel's  hair. 
Pieced. — When  the  space  between  bands,  upon 


USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 


307 


which  the  lettering  is  placed,  has  a  piece  of 
leather  upon  it  different  from  the  back,  it  is 
said  to  be  pieced  or  titled. 

Plough. — The  instrument  used  in  cutting  the  edges 
of  books  and  pasteboards. 

Points. — Holes  made  in  the  sheets  by  the  printer ; 
they  serve  as  guides  in  folding. 

Polisher. — A  steel  implement  used  in  finishing. 

Press. — There  are  various  kinds  of  presses, — viz. : 
laying  or  cutting,  standing,  stamping,  em- 
bossing, gilding,  and  finishing. 

Rake. — An  instrument  used   in   forwarding,  to 

harden  the  backs  while  being  pastewashed 

in  the  standing-press. 
Rasped. — The  sharp  edge  taken  off  the  boards. 
Register. — The  ribbon  placed  in  a  volume  for  a 

marker ;  also  a  list  of  signatures,  attached  to 

the  end  of  early-printed  works,  for  the  use 

of  the  binder. 
Rolls. — The  cylindrical  ornaments  used  in  finishing. 
Run  Up. — When  the  back  has  a  fillet  run  from 

head  to  tail  without  being  mitred  at  each 

band,  it  is  said  to  be  run  up. 
Runner.  —  The    front    board    used    in  cutting 

edges,  &c. 


308 


TECHNICAL  TERMS 


Sewer. — The  person  who  sews  the  sheets  together 

on  the  sewing-press — generally  a  female. 
Set-Off. — Designates  the  transfer  of  the  ink  to  the 

opposite  page. 
Setting  the  Head. — Is  covering  the  headband  neatly 

with  the  leather,  so  as  to  form  a  kind 

of  cap. 

Shaving-Tub. — The  paper  cut  from  the  edges  of  a 
volume  are  called  shavings.  The  receptacle 
into  which  they  fall  while  the  forwarder  is 
cutting  the  edges  is  termed  the  shaving-tub. 

Signature. — The  letter  or  figure  under  the  footline 
of  the  first  page  of  each  sheet  to  indicate  the 
order  of  arrangement  in  the  volume ;  some- 
times applied  to  the  sheet  itself. 

Size. — A  preparation  used  in  finishing  and  gilding, 
generally  made  from  vellum. 

Slips. — The  pieces  of  twine  that  project  beyond  the 
volume  after  it  is  sewn. 

Squa?*es. — The  portions  of  the  board  that  project 
over  the  edges. 

Stabbing. — The  operation  of  piercing  the  boards 
with  a  bodkin  for  the  slips  to  pass  through; 
also  the  piercing  of  pamphlets  for  the  pur- 
pose of  stitching. 

Stamps. — The  brass  tools  used  in  finishing  to  im- 


USED  IN  BOOKBINDING. 


309 


press  a  figure  upon  the  leather ;  they  are  dis- 
tinguished by  hand-stamps  and  stamps  for 
the  press. 

Start. — When  any  of  the  leaves  are  not  properly 
secured  in  the  back,  upon  opening  the 
volume  they  will  project  beyond  the  others, 
and  are  said  to  start. 

Steamboating. — Cutting  books  out  of  boards,  a 
number  being  cut  at  the  same  time. 

Stitching. — The  operation  of  passing  the  thread 
through  a  pamphlet  for  the  purpose  of  se- 
curing the  sheets  together. 

Stops. — Are  small  circular  tools,  adapted  to  stop  a 
fillet  when  it  intersects  at  right  angles,  to 
save  the  time  used  in  mitreing. 

Title. — The  space  between  bands,  upon  which  the 
lettering  is  placed. 

Tools. — Applied  particularly  to  the  hand-stamps 
and  tools  used  in  finishing. 

Trindle. — A  strip  of  thin  wood  or  iron. 

Turning  Up. — The  process  of  cutting  the  fore- 
edges  in  such  a  manner  as  to  throw  the 
round  out  of  the  back  until  the  edge  is  cut. 

Tying  Up. — The  tying  of  a  volume  after  the  cover 
has  been  drawn  on,  so  as  to  make  the  leather 


310 


TECHNICAL  TERMS,  ETC. 


adhere  to  the  sides  of  the  bands;  also  for 
setting  the  head. 

Whipping. — The  process  of  overseaming  plates. 

Witness. — When  a  volume  is  cut  so  as  to  show  that 
it  has  not  been  cut  as  small  as  some  of  the 
leaves,  their  uncut  edges  prove  this,  and 
are  called  witness  and  sometimes  proof. 

Wrinkle. — The  uneven  surfaces  in  a  volume,  caused 
by  not  being  properly  pressed  or  by  damp- 
ness, also  caused  by  improper  backing. 


INDEX. 


Affixing  the  stamps,  279,  280. 
Agatine  marble,  on  leather,  249. 
Aldine,  198. 
Aldus,  198. 
Anonay  paper,  150. 
Antique,  231. 

 bands,  147. 

 marble,  117. 

 Dutch,  29. 

Arabesque,  210. 
Assyrian,  179. 
Aqua  Regii,  237. 

Backing-machine,  173. 
Backs,  flexible,  54,  55. 

 India-rubber,  58. 

Backing  books,  43. 
Bands,  in  finishing,  269. 
Bands,  raised,  53,  54. 

 parchment,  57. 

Baumgarten,  20. 
Beating,  41,  42. 
Beating-hammer,  42. 
Beckford,  206. 
Bedford,  28. 
Benedict,  20. 


Bible,  chained  in  churches,  16. 
Bibliographical  Decameron,  14, 

26,  135. 
Bindings  of  Corvinus,  14. 

 of  Henry  VII.,  16. 

- — of  Henry  VIII.,  17. 

 of  Elizabeth,  17. 

 of  Grolier,  17. 

 of  Maiolo,  17. 

 of  Diana  of  Poictiers,  18. 

 of  Henry  II.,  18. 

 of  De  Thou,  19. 

 of  the  Chevalier  D'Eon,19. 

 of  Oxford,  20. 

 of  Mackinlay,  21. 

 of  Roger  Payne,  21-23. 

 of  Mackenzie,  28. 

 of  Charles  Lewis,  28. 

 of  Clarke,  28. 

 of  Riviere,  28. 

 of  Bedford,  28. 

 of  Hayday,  28. 

 of  Napoleon,  30. 

 of  Lortic,  31. 

  of  Duru,  32. 

 of  Niedre,  32. 

311 


9 


INDEX. 


Bindings  of  Bauzonnet,  32, 142. 
Black,  for  marbling,  85,  91. 

 edges,  136. 

 ink,  156,  157. 

 for  blank-work,  165. 

 for  marbling  leather,  241. 

 for  leather,  259. 

 lines,  268. 

Blacking  the  squares,  268. 
Blank  binding,  151. 
Bleeding,  68. 
Blind  tooling,  230. 
Block-finishing,  279. 
Blue,  for  edges,  78. 

 for  marbling,  85, 89, 90, 105. 

 -ink,  156. 

 for  marbling  leather,  242. 

 —  uniform  colour  for  leather, 

258. 

Blue  agate  marble  on  leather, 
249. 

 Stormont  marble,  105. 

Boards,  mode  of  making,  65. 

 squaring,  66. 

Boarding,  blank-work,  160. 

 printed  work,  169. 

Box  marble,  on  leather,  253. 
British  marble,  119. 
Brown,  for  edges,  79. 

 for  marbling,  86,  91. 

 for  marbling  leather,  241, 

242. 

 uniform  colour  for  leather, 

257. 

Burnt  ochre,  88. 
Burnishing,  126,  129,  133. 
Byzantine,  181. 


Cambridge,  208. 

 binding,  19. 

Cancels,  40. 
Caoutchouc,  58. 
Cap<3,  31,  32. 

Carved  oak  boards,  description 
of,  12. 

- —  precious  stones  let  into, 

14,  211. 
Case-work,  stamping,  283. 
Cedar  sprinkle,  on  leather,  253. 
Chemical  preparations,  237. 
Chinese  blue,  89. 
Chrome,  90. 
Clarke,  28. 
Clasps,  167. 
Cleanliness,  276. 
Cloth-work,  170. 
Collating,  89. 

 description  of,  39,  40. 

Coleridge,  190. 

Colours,  for  edges,  74-82. 

 for  marbling,  84. 

 grinding,  98. 

 uniform,  for  leather,  256 , 

 harmony  of,  272. 

Colouring,  for  leather,  236. 
Comb  marble,  115. 
Combs,  for  marbling,  127. 
Corners,  167. 
Corvinus,  library  of,  14. 
Covering,  141. 

 blank- work,  163. 

Cropping,  67. 
Curl  marble,  109. 
Cutting  in  boards,  72. 
Cutting-machines,  288. 


INDEX. 


Dawson,  20. 

Derome,  18,  19,  67. 

De  Seuil,  18,  19. 

Design,  186. 

Designing,  286. 

De  Thou,  bindings  of,  19. 

Dibdin,  his  account  of  the  li- 
brary of  Corvinus,  14. 

 of  Roger  Payne,  26,  191, 

195. 

Diptych,  description  of,  11. 
Drag  Spanish  marble,  114. 
Drop  ivory  black,  91. 
Drop  lake,  86. 
Dutch  marble,  120. 
Duru,  31,  32. 
Dutch  pink,  90. 

Edges,  colouring  and  sprink- 
ling, 74. 

 colours  for,  74-79. 

 blue,  78. 

 yellow,  78. 

 green,  78. 

 orange,  78. 

 red,  78. 

 purple,  79. 

 brown,  79. 

 black,  136. 

 rice  marbled,  80. 

 white  spotted,  80. 

 fancy  marbled,  81. 

 gold  sprinkle,  81. 

 marbled,  82,  125. 

 burnishing,  125,  129. 

 gilt,  130. 

 antique,  134. 


Edges,  gold  upon  marble,  135. 

 black,  136. 

Edge-gilding,  130. 

 antique,  134. 

 on  marble,  135. 

 onlandscapes,135. 

Eighteenmo,  36. 
Elizabethan,  184. 
End-papers,  59,  60,  273. 
Etruscan,  180. 

Eyton,  J.  W.  King,  binding  be- 
longing to,  28,  29. 

Fair  agate  marble,  on  leather, 

249. 
Falkner,  28. 
Fancy  titles,  221,  271. 
Fawn,  colour  for  leather,  244. 
Finishing,  blank-work,  168. 
Finisher's  standing  press,  275. 
Flea-seed,  94. 

Flexible,  mode  of  sewing,  53. 

 marking  off,  54,  55. 

Folding,  35. 

 blank- work,  157. 

Folio,  36. 

Font  Hill,  150,  205. 
Forwarding,  job-work,  mode  of 
operation,  59. 

 making  end-papers,  60. 

 putting  in  joints,  61. 

 glueing  up,  rounding,  62. 

 backing,  63,  64. 

 cutting,  65,  70. 

 making  boards,  65. 

 squaring,  66. 

 lacing  in,  68. 


314 


INDEX. 


Forwarding,  pastewashing 
back,  69. 

 cutting  round,  71. 

 turning  up,  72. 

Foundation-plate,  279. 

Gilding,  preparations  for,  216. 

 the  back,  217. 

 the  squares,  223. 

 the  sides,  224. 

 on  silk  and  velvet,  225. 

Gilt  edges,  130. 

 upon  marbled,  135. 

Glaire,  for  marbling  leather,  240. 
Gold  marble  on  leather,  260. 
Gold  sprinkle,  81. 
Gothic,  183. 

Grafton,  the  printer,  16. 
Grained  sheep,  282. 
Graining,  231. 
Grolier,  bindings  of,  17. 

 style,  212. 

Green,  for  edges,  78. 

 for  blank- work,  164. 

 for  leather,  244. 

 uniform  colour  for  leather, 

258. 

 agate  marble  on  leather, 

249. 

 Italian  marble,  106. 

 porphyry  marble  on  lea- 
ther, 250. 
Greek,  180. 
Gum,  92. 

 directions  for  preparing 

for  marbling,  93. 


Guards,  sewing  on,  53,  56. 

 mode  of  mounting,  56. 

Gum-sandarac,  226. 

Harleian,  202. 
Harmony  of  colours,  272. 
Half-binding,  149. 
Hayday,  28,  29,  232. 
Headbands,  137. 

 single,  138. 

 double,  140. 

 gold  and  silver,  14C. 

 ribbon,  141. 

Heat,    degree    required  for 

stamping,  282. 
Hints  to- book-collectors,  291. 
Henry  VII.,  time  of,  16. 

 VIII.,  bindings  of,  17. 

Hering,  28. 
Holbein,  213. 
Hydraulic  press,  45. 

Illuminated  binding,  227. 
Imperfections  in  old  books,  290. 
Indigo,  89. 
Inlaid  work,  229. 

 ornaments,  270. 

Irish  moss,  94. 
Italian  marble,  106. 

Janseniste,  208. 

Joint,  mode  of  forming,  63. 

Joints,  inside,  273. 

Kalthoeber,  20. 
Kettle-stitch,  51,  53,  55. 


INDEX. 


315 


Keys  for  securing  bands  on 

sewing-bench,  49. 
 detaching,  57. 

Lacing  in,  68. 
Landscapes  on  sides,  263. 

 transferred,  264. 

Lapis  Lazuli  marble  on  leather, 

261. 
Lay  on,  218. 
L eland's  Itinerary,  14. 
Lettering-press,  283. 
Levant  marble  on  leather,  249. 
Levant  morocco,  31,  142. 
Lewis,  Charles,  28. 
Light  Italian  marble,  106. 
Lilac,  for  leather,  243. 
Lining-papers,  mode  of  making, 

60. 

Linseed,  94, 
Lortic,  31,  32. 
Louis  Quatorze,  184. 

Mackenzie,  28. 

Mackinlay,  John,  20. 

 bindings  of,  21. 

Mahogany  sprinkle  on  lea- 
ther, 252. 

Maiolo,  17. 

Malacca  tin,  238. 

Marbling  on  leather,  246-254. 

 on  paper  sides,  254. 

Marbling-water  for  leather, 
240. 

Marbled  cloth,  127. 
Marbled  edges,  125. 
 gilt  upon,  135. 


Making  cases,  174. 
Missals,  antiquity  of,  10. 
Mitreing,  219. 
Modernized  monastic,  231. 
Montague,  201. 
Moorish,  182. 

Niedre',  31,  32. 

Numerical  proportions  of  co- 
lours, 272. 

Nonpareil,  115. 

 raked,  116. 

 reversed,  116. 

Nutmeg  sprinkle  on  leather, 
255. 

Oak  boards,  15,  211. 
Octavo,  36. 
Old  bindings,  289. 
Olive,  for  leather,  258. 
Orange,  for  edges,  78. 

 for  marbling,  86,  91. 

 for  leather,  244. 

Orange  lead,  91. 
Ornamental  art,  178. 
Oxford,  bindings  of,  20. 
Oxford  ochre,  88. 
Ox-gall,  96. 

Padeloup,  18. 
Paging-machine,  154. 
Paper    and    book  trimmer, 
288. 

Paring-knife,  149. 
Pasting  down,  273. 
Payne,  Roger,  history  of,  21. 
 his  bindings,  23. 


316 


INDEX. 


Payne,  Roger,  bill  of,  25. 

 his  favourite  colour,  26. 

Pearl-gray  for  leather,  258. 
Petit,  Bernard,   bindings  de- 
signed by,  18. 
Phillatius  the  Athenian,  9. 
Pictures  on  calf,  266. 
Pickering,  200 
Plates,  mode  of  sewing,  53. 
Polishing,  234. 

Porphyry  marble  on  leather, 
251. 

Porphyry  vein  marble  on  lea- 
ther, 251. 
Preparations  for  marbling,  96. 

 chemical,  237. 

 for  stamping,  281. 

 for  gilding,  216. 

 for  marbling  leather,  240. 

Press-work,  279. 
Primary  colours,  272. 
Prints  on  calf,  266. 
Progress  of  the  art,  10,  33. 
Prussian  blue,  90. 
Purple,  for  edges,  79. 

 for  blank-work,  165. 

 for  leather,  243. 

 marble  on  leather,  248. 

Quarto,  36. 

Raw  ochre,  90. 
Red,  for  edges,  78. 

 for  marbling,  85-88. 

 ink,  156. 

 for  blank-work,  164. 

 for  leather,  245. 


Red  porphyry  marble  on  lea- 
ther, 250. 
Register,  137. 
Renaissance,  183. 
Restoring  old  bindings,  289. 
Revival,  183. 

Rock  marble  on  leather,  252. 

Rolling-machine,  substitute  for 
beating ;  mode  of  opera- 
tion ;  advantages  and 
disadvantages  of,  43,  44. 

Roman,  181. 

Rose-pink,  87. 

Rounding,  62. 

Rice  marble,  80. 

Ring  sprinkle  on  leather,  255. 

Riviere,  28. 

Ruling,  152. 

Run  up,  220. 

Russian  bands,  165. 

Sawing,  48,  49. 
Sawing-machine,  171. 
Scraping,  132. 
Secondary  colours,  272. 
Setting  the  head,  145. 

 the  stamp,  281. 

Set  off,  42,  43. 

Sewing,  process  of,  49,  50, 

 two  sheets  on,  50. 

 all  along ;  quartos ;  plates 

or  maps,  52. 
 whipping,     sewing  on 

guards,  53. 
 on  raised  bands  ;  pure 

flexible,  54,  55,  56. 
 blank-work,  159. 


INDEX. 


317 


Sewing-bench,  49,  50. 

Shell  marble,  100,  103,  104. 

Sheriffs  of  Shropshire,  28. 

Sheet-work,  35. 

Silk  lining,  274. 

Sixteenmo,  36. 

Sizing  the  paper,  127. 

Slate,  uniform  colour  for  lea- 
ther, 259. 

Smasher,  substitute  for  beat- 
ing, 44. 

 mode  of  operation ;  amount 

of  pressure ;  advantage 
of,  45. 

Spanish  marble,  110. 

 olive,  111. 

 blue,  112. 

 brown,  112. 

 fancy,  113. 

 drag,  114. 

Spring-back,  blank-work,  161. 

Sprinkles,  255,  256. 

Sprinkling,  mode  of,  75,  76. 

 colours  for,  74. 

 rice-marble,  80. 

 white  spot,  80. 

 gold  sprinkle,  81. 

Staggemier,  20. 

Stamping,  279. 

Steamboating,  172. 

Stabbing,  68. 

Steel  gouges,  271. 

Stone  marble,  on  leather,  248. 

Sunk  boards,  285. 

Supplying  imperfections  in  old 
books,  290. 


Table-shears,  175. 
Taste,  186. 

Technical  terms,  297-310. 

Tertiary  colours,  272. 

Thirty-twomo,  36. 

Thouvenin,  bindings  of.  30. 

Titles,  269. 

 fancy,  271. 

Tortoise-shell  sprinkle  on  lea- 
ther, 256. 

To  dissolve  gold,  237. 

Transfers,  264,  266. 

Transferring  designs,  286. 

Translation  of  dates,  289. 

Trautz  et  Bauzonnet,  31,  32, 
142. 

Tree-marbled  calf,  28,  252. 
Troughs  for  marbling,  100. 
Turning  up,  72. 
Twelvemo,  36,  37. 
Twenty-fourmo,  36, 
Tying  up,  146. 

Ultramarine,  89. 
Umber,  91. 
Uncut  books,  151. 
Uniform  colours  on  leather, 
256-259. 

Variegated  marble,  on  lea- 
ther, 254. 

Varnish,  277. 

Vegetable  black,  91. 

Vermilion,  87. 

Violet  for  leather,  243. 

Vitriol-water  for  marbling  lea- 
ther, 240. 


818 


INDEX. 


Wainscot  sprinkle  on  leather, 
254. 

Walnut  sprinkle    on  leather, 

253. 
Walther,  28. 
Water  for  marbling,  96. 
Wave-marble,  118. 
Wax  for  marbling,  99. 
West-End  marble,  107,  108. 


Whipping,  53. 
White  for  marbling,  86,  91. 
White-spotted  edges,  80. 
Wood-lake,  88. 


t  ft  ft  ft  w 


Yellow  for  edges,  78. 

 for  marbling,  85. 

 for  blank- work,  165. 

 for  leather,  244. 


2  ?.  A.  0 


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Gregory — Mathematics  for  Practical  Men : 

Being  a  Common-Place  Book  of  Principles,  Theorems,  Rules, 
and  Tables,  in  various  Departments  of  Pure  and  Mixed 
Mathematics,  with  their  Applications,  especially  to  the 
pursuits  of  Surveyors,  Architects,  Mechanics,  and  Civil 
Engineers,  with  numerous  Engravings.  By  Olinthus 
Gregory,  LL.D.,  F.R.A.S  $1.50 

Household  Surgery ;  or,  Hints  on  Emer- 
gencies. 

By  J.  F.  South,  one  of  the  Surgeons  of  St.  Thomas's  Hospi- 
tal. In  one  volume,  12mo,  sheep.  Illustrated  by  nearly 
fifty  Engravings  $1.50 

6 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Johnston — Botanic  Practice  of  Medicine. 

By  Dr.  Wm.  Johnston.    24nio  38  cts. 

Leslie's  [Miss]  Complete  Cookery: 

Directions  for  Cookery  in  its  Various  Branches.  -  By  Miss  Les- 
lie. 54£h  Thousand.  Thoroughly  Revised,  with  the  Ad- 
dition of  New  Receipts.  In  one  volume,  12mo,  half-bound, 
or  in  sheep..   $1.00 

In  prepciring  a  new  and  carefully  revised  edition  of  this  my  first  work  on 
cookery,  I  have  introduced  improvements,  corrected  errors,  and  added  new 
receipts,  that  I  trust  will  on  trial  be  found  satisfactory.  The  success  of  the 
hook  (proved  by  its  immense  and  increasing  circulation)  affords  conclusive  evi- 
dence that  it  has  obtained  the  approbation  of  a  large  number  of  my  country- 
women, many  of  whom  have  informed  me  that  it  has  made  practical  housewives 
of  young  ladies  who  have  entered  into  married  life  with  no  other  acquirements 
than  a  tew  showy  accomplishments.  Gentlemen,  also,  have  told  me  of  great 
improvements  in  the  family  table,  after  presenting  their  wives  with  this  manual 
of  domestic  cookery,  and  that,  after  a  morning  devoted  to  the  fatigues  of  busi- 
ness, they  no  longer  find  themselves  subjected  to  the  annoyance  of  an  ill-dressed 
dinner. — Preface. 

Leslie's  (Miss)  Two  Hunched  Receipts  in 

French  Cookery. 
A  new  edition,  in  cloth  25  cts. 


Lieber — Assay er }s  Guide; 

Or,  Practical  Directions  to  Assayers,  Miners,  and  Smelters,  for 
th-e  Tests  and  Assays,  by  Heat  and  by  Wet  Processes,  of 
the  Ores  of  all  the  principal  Metals,  and  of  Gold  and  Silver 
Coins  and  Alloys.  By  Oscar  M.  Lieber,  late  Geologist  to 
the  State  of  Mississippi.    12mo.  With  Illustrations.  75  cts. 

"  Among  the  indispensable  works  for  this  purpose,  is  this  little  guide." — 
Artisan. 

Lyon — New  and  Improved  Tables : 

With  the  Method  of  their  Application  to  finding  the  Mean 
Heights  of  Cross  Sections,  and  the  Cubic  Contents  of  Exca- 
vations and  Embankments.  By  Patrick  Lyon.  8vo..$1.50 

Macfarlane — Propellers  and  Steam  Navi- 
gation : 

With  Biographical  Sketches  of  Early  Inventors.  By  Robert 
Macfarlane,  C.E.,  Editor  of  the  "  Scientific  American." 
In  one  volume,  12mo.    Illustrated  by  over  eighty  Wood 

Engravings.  75  cts. 

7 


s 


HENRY  CABEY  BAIRD'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Morfit — Perfumery;  Its  Manufacture  and 

Use. 

With  Instructions  in  every  branch  of  the  Art,  and  Receipts  for 
all  the  Fashionable  Preparations  ;  the  whole  forming  a  valu- 
able aid  to  the  Perfumer,  Druggist,  and  Soap  Manufac- 
turer. Illustrated  by  numerous  Wood-cuts.  From  the 
French  of  Celnart,  and  other  late  authorities.  With  Ad- 
ditions and  Improvements  by  Campbell  Morfit.  A  new 
and  revised  fdition,  in  one  volume,  12mo,  cloth  $1.50 

Morfit — The  Arts  of  Tanning  and  Cur- 
rying : 

Theoretically  and  Practically  Considered  in  all  their  Details, 
being  a  full  and  comprehensive  Treatise  on  the  Manufac- 
ture of  the  various  kinds  of  Leather.  Illustrated  by  over 
two  hundred  Engravings.  Edited  from  the  French  of  De 
Fontenelle  and  Malapeyere.  With  numerous  Emendations 
and  Additions,  by  Campbell  Morfit,  Practical  and  Ana- 
lytical Chemist.    Complete  in  one  volume,  octavo  $5.00 

This  important  Treatise  will  be  found  to  cover  the  whole  field  in  the  most 
masterly  manner,  and  it  is  believed  that  in  no  other  branch  of  applied  science 
could  more  signal  service  be  rendered  to  American  Manufacturers. 

The  publisher  is  not  aware  that  in  any  other  work  heretofore  issued  in  this 
country,  more  space  has  been  devoted  to  this  subject  than  a  single  chapter;  and 
in  offering  this  volume  to  so  large  and  intelligent  a  class  as  American  Tanners 
and  Leather  Dressers,  he  feels  confident  of  their  substantial  support  and  en- 
couragement. 

Contents. — Introduction,  Dignity  of  Labour,  Tan  and  Tannin,  Gallic  Acid, 
Extractive  Tanning  Materials,  Oak  Barks,  Barking  of  Trees,  Method  of  Esti- 
mating the  Tanning  Power  of  Astringent  Substances,  Tan,  the  Structure  and 
Composition  of  Skin,  Different  kinds  of  Skin  suitable  for  Tanning,  Preliminary 
Treatment  of  Skins,  Tanning  Process,  Improved  Processes,  Vauquelin's  Pro- 
cess, Accelerating  Processes,  Keasley's,  Trumbull's,  Hibbards,  and  Leprieur's 
Processes,  Tanning  with  Extract  of  Oak-Bark,  Hemlock  Tanning,  with  Myrtle 
Plant,  English  Harness  Leather,  Calf  Skins,  Goat  and  Sheep  Skins,  Horse  Hides, 
Buck,  Wolf,  and  Dog  Skins,  Buffalo,  or  "  Grecian"  Leather,  Russia  Leather, 
lied  Skins,  Wallachia  Leather,  Mineral  Tanning,  Texture  and  Quality  of  Leather, 
and  the  Means  of  Discovering  its  Defects,  Tawing,  Hungary  Leather,  Oiled 
Leather,  Tanning  as  practised  by  the  Mongol  Tartars,  Shagreen,  Parchment, 
Leather  Bottles,  Tanning  of  Cordage  and  Sail  Cloth,  Glazed  or  "  Patent"  Lea- 
ther, Helverson's  Process  for  Rendering  Hides  Hard  and  Transparent,  Currying, 
Currying  of  Calf  Skins,  Currying  of  Goat  Skins,  Red  Leather,  Fair  Leather, 
Water  Proof  Dressing,  Perkins'  Machine  for  Pommelling  and  Graining  Leather, 
Splitting,  Shaving,  Pleshing  and  Cleansing  Machines,  Embossing  of  Leather, 
Gut  Dressing. 


Mortimer — Pyrotechnist's  Companion  ; 


Or,  A  Familiar  System  of  Fire-works.    By  Gr.  W.  Mortimer. 
Illustrated  by  numerous  Engravings.    12mo  75  cts. 


HENEY  CAit£Y  BAI&D'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Napier — Manual  of  Electro- Metallurgy : 

Including  the  Application  of  the  Art  to  Manufacturing  Processes. 
By  James  Napier.  From  the  second  London  edition,  re- 
vised and  enlarged.  Illustrated  by  Engravings.  In  one 
volume,  12mo  $1.25 

Napier's  Electro-Metallurgy  is  generally  regarded  as  the  very  best  practical 
treatise  on  the  subject  in  the  English  language. 

Contents. — History  of  the  Art  of  Electro-Metallurgy,  Description  of  Galvanic 
Ba^  teries,  and  their  respective  Peculiarities,  Electrotype  Processes,  Miscellaneous 
Applications  of  the  Process  of  Coating  with  Copper,  Bronzing,  Decomposition  of 
Metals  upon  one  another,  Electro-Plating,  Electro-Gilding,  Results  of  Experi- 
ments on  the  Deposition  of  other  Metals  as  Coatings,  Theoretical  Observations. 


Neill — Fruit,  Flower,  and  Kitchen  Garden. 

By  Patrice  Neill,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.E.,  Secretary  to  the  Royal 
Caledonian  Horticultural  Society.  Adapted  to  the  United 
States,  from  the  fourth  edition,  revised  and  improved  by  the 
Author.  Illustrated  by  fifty  Wood  Engravings  of  Hot- 
houses, &c.  &c.   In  one  volume,  12mo  $1.25 

"  This  volume  supplies  a  desideratum  much  felt,  and  gives  within  a  moderate 
compass  all  the  horticultural  information  necessary  for  practical  use." — Newark 
Mercury. 

"A  valuable  addition  to  the  horticulturist's  library." — Baltimore  Patriot. 


Nicholson— Book-binder  }s  ( The  Practical) 

Manual : 

Containing  Full  Directions  for  all  the  different  Branches  of 
Book-bindiog  and  Marbling.  By  James  B.  Nicholson. 
Illustrated.    12mo.    (In  press.) 


Norrids  Hand-hook  for  Locomotive  En- 
gineers and  Machinists : 

Comprising  the  Calculations  for  Constructing  Locomotives,  Man- 
ner of  setting  Valves,  &c.  &c.  By  Septimus  Norris,  Civil 
and  Mechanical  Engineer.  In  one  volume,  12mo,  with  Illus- 
trations $1.50 

"  With  pleasure  do  we  meet  with  such  a  work  as  Messrs.  Norris  and  Baird 
have  given  us." — Artisan. 

"  In  this  work  he  has  given  us  what  are  called  '  the  secrets  of  the  bushes.' 
in  the  rules  to  construct  locomotives,  in  order  that  the  million  should  be  learned 
in  all  things." — Scientific  American. 

9 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD'3  PUBLICATIONS. 


Nystrom — A  Treatise  on  Screw- Propellers 

and  their  Steam-Engines : 

With  Practical  Rules  and  Examples  by  which  to  Calculate  and 
Construct  the  same  for  any  description  of  Vessels.  By  J. 
W.  Nystrom.    Illustrated  by  over  thirty  large  Working 

Drawings.    In  one  volume,  octavo  $3.50 

This  is  the  fullest  treatise  on  the  subject  ever  published  in  this  country. 

Overman — The  Manufacture  of  Iron  in 

all  its  Various  Branches : 

To  which  is  added  an  Essay  on  the  Manufacture  of  Steel,  by 
Frederick  Overman,  Mining  Engineer,  with  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Wood  Engravings.  Third  edition.  In  one  volume, 
octavo,  five  hundred  pages  $5.00 

"  We  have  now  to  announce  the  appearance  of  another  valuable  work  on  the 
subject,  which,  in  our  humble  opinion,  supplies  any  deficiency  which  late  im- 
provements and  discoveries  may  have  caused,  from  the  lapse  of  time  since  the 
date  of  '  Mushet'  and  '  Schrivenor.'  It  is  the  production  of  one  of  our  trans- 
atlantic brethren,  Mr.  Frederick  Overman,  Mining  Engineer ;  and  we  do  not 
hesitate  to  set  it  down  as  a  work  of  great  importance  to  all  connected  with  the 
iron  interest;  one  which,  while  it  is  sufficiently  technological  fully  to  explain 
chemical  analysis,  and  the  various  phenomena  of  iron  under  different  circum- 
stances, to  the  satisfaction  of  the  most  fastidious,  is  written  in  that  clear  and 
comprehensive  style  as  to  be  available  to  the  capacity  of  the  humblest  mind, 
and  consequently  will  be  of  much  advantage  to  those  works  where  the  proprie- 
tors may  see  the  desirability  of  placing  it  in  the  hands  of  their  operatives." — 
London  Morning  Journal. 

Painter,   [The)  Gilder,  and   VamisJier Js 

Companion : 

Containing  Rules  and  Regulations  for  every  thing  relating  to 
the  arts  of  Painting,  Gilding,  Varnishing,  and  Glass-stain- 
ing :  numerous  useful  and  valuable  Receipts  ;  Tests  for  the 
Detection  of  Adulterations  in  Oils,  Colours,  &c.  ;  and  a 
Statement  of  the  Diseases  and  Accidents  to  which  Painters, 
Gilders,  and  Varnishers  are  particularly  liable ;  with  the 
simplest  methods  of  Prevention  and  Remedy.  Fifth  edition. 
In  one  volume,  small  12mo,  cloth  75  cts. 

Paper-Hanger 's  (The)  Companion: 

in  which  the  Practical  Operations  of  the  Trade  are  systematic- 
ally laid  down  ;  with  copious  Directions  Preparatory  to 
Papering;  Preventions  against  the  effect  of  Damp  in  Walls; 
the  various  Cements  and  Pastes  adapted  to  the  several  pur- 
poses of  the  trade  ;  Observations  and  Directions  for  the 
Panelling  and  Ornamenting  of  Rooms,  &c.  &c.  By  James 
Arrowsmith.    In  one  volume,  12mo  75  cts, 


HENRY  CAEEY  BAIRD'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Perkins — Practical  Treatise  on  Gas  and 

Ventilation. 
By  E.  E.  Perkins.    12mo.    (In  press.) 

Practical  Printer,   Type  Founder,  and 

Stereotyped 's  Hand-Boole. 
By  D.  W.  Belisle.    Illustrated.    12mo.    (In  press.) 

Practical  [The)  Surveyor's  Guide: 

Containing  the  necessary  information  to  make  any  person  of 
common  capacity  a  finished  Land  Surveyor,  without  the 
aid  of  a  teacher.  By  Andrew  Duncan,  Land  Surveyor 
and  Civil  Engineer.    12mo  75  cts. 

Having  had  an  experience  as  a  practical  Surveyor,  &c.  of  thirty  years,  it  is 
believed  that  the  author  of  this  volume  possesses  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
wants  of  the  profession ;  and  never  having  met  with  any  work  sufficiently  con- 
cise and  instructive  in  the  several  details  necessary  for  the  proper  qualification 
of  the  Surveyor,  it  has  been  his  object  to  supply  that  want.  Among  other  im- 
portant matters  in  the  book,  will  be  found  the  following : 

Instructions  in  levelling  and  profiling,  with  a  new  and  speedy  plan  of  setting 
grades  on  rail  and  plank  roads ;  the  method  of  inflecting  curves ;  the  descrip- 
tion and  design  of  a  new  instrument,  whereby  distances  are  found  at  once,  with- 
out any  calculation ;  a  new  method  of  surveying  any  tract  of  land  by  measur- 
ing one  line  through  it;  a  geometrical  method  of  correcting  surveys  taken  with 
the  compass,  to  fit  them  for  calculation ;  a  short  method  of  finding  the  angles 
from  the  courses,  and  vice  versa;  the  method  of  surveying  with  the  compass 
through  any  mine  or  iron  works,  and  to  correct  the  deflections  of  the  needle  by 
attraction;  description  of  an  instrument  by  the  help  of  which  any  one  may 
measure  a  map  by  inspection,  without  calculation;  a  new  and  short  method  of 
calculation,  wherein  fewer  figures  are  used;  the  method  of  correcting  the  dim 
nal  variation  of  the  needle ;  various  methods  of  plotting  and  embellishing  maps; 
the  most  correct  method  of  laying  off  plots  with  the  pole,  &c. ;  description  of  a 
new  compass  contrived  by  the  author,  &c.  &c. 


Pail  Road  Curves,  and  Location  of  Rail 

Roads : 

A  Practical  Treatise.  By  E.  W.  Beans,  Civil  Engineer.  12mo, 
(In  press.) 

Rural  Chemistry: 

An  Elementary  Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the  Science,  in  its 
relation  to  Agriculture  and  the  Arts  of  Life.  By  Edward 
Solly,  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Horticultural  Society 
of  London.     From  the  third  improved  London  edition, 

12mo  $1.25 

11 


HENBY  CAREY  BAIEB'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Scott — The  Practical  Cotton-spinner,  and 

Manufacturer ;  or,  the  Manager  and  Overlooker1  s 
Companion  : 

This  work  contains  a  Comprehensive  System  of  Calculations 
for  Mill  Gearing  and  Machinery,  from  the  first  moving 
power,  through  the  different  processes  of  Carding,  Drawing, 
Slabbing,  Roving,  Spinning,  and  Weaving,  adapted  to 
American  Machinery,  Practice  and  Usages.  Compendious 
Tables  of  Yarns  and  Reeds  are  added.  Illustrated  by  large 
working-drawings  of  the  most  approved  American  Cotton 
Machinery.    Complete  in  one  volume,  octavo  $3.50 

This  edition  of  Scott's  Cotton-Spinner,  by  Oliver  Byrne,  is  designed  for  the 
American  Operative.  It  will  be  found  intensely  practical,  and  will  be  of  the 
greatest  possible  value  to  the  Manager,  Overseer,  and  Workman. 

Shele  Be  Vere — Sketches  of  Comparative 

Philology. 

By  Prof.  Shele  De  Vere,  of  the  University  of  Virginia, 
author  of  a  "Grammar  of  the  Spanish  Language."  Com- 
plete in  one  volume,  12mo  $1.25 

Solly — Syllabus  of  a  Complete  Course  of 

Lectures  on  Chemistry  : 

Including  its  Application  to  the  Arts,  Agriculture,  and  Mining. 
By  Prof.  E.  Solly.  Revised  by  the  author  of  "  Chemical 
Manipulations."    Octavo,  cloth  $1.25 

Templeton —  The  Practical  Examinator 

on  Steam  and  the  Steam  Engine: 

With  Instructive  References  relative  thereto,  arranged  for  the 
use  of  Engineers,  Students,  and  others.  By  Wm.  Temple- 
ton,  Engineer.    12mo  75  cts. 

This  work  was  originally  written  for  the  author's  private  iise.  He  was  pre- 
vailed upon  by  various  Engineers,  who  had  seen  the  notes,  to  consent  to  its  pub- 
lication, from  their  eager  expression  of  belief  that  it  would  be  equally  useful 
to  them  as  it  had  been  to  himself. 

Treatise  (A)  on  a  Box  of  Instruments, 

And  the  Slide  Rule,  with  the  Theory  of  Trigonometry  and 
Logarithms,  including  Practical  Geometry,  Surveying, 
Measuring  of  Timber,  Cask  and  Malt  Gauging,  Heights 
and  Distances.  By  Thomas  Kentish.  In  one  volume. 
12mo  $1.00 

A.  volume  of  inestimable  value  to  Engineers;  Gangers,  Students,  and  others. 
12 


HENRY  CAEEY  BAXED'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Turnbidl — A  Treatise  on  Experimental 

Electricity. 

By  Lawrence  Turnbull,  M.D.    12mo.    (In  press.) 

Turner's  Companion : 

Containing  Instructions  in  Concentric,  Elliptic,  and  Eccentric 
Turning.  Also,  various  Plates  of  Chucks,  Tools,  and  In- 
struments, and  Directions  for  using  the  Eccentric  Cutter, 
Drill,  Vertical  Cutter,  and  Circular  Rest;  with  Patterns 
and  Instructions  for  working  them.  Illustrated  with  nume- 
rous Engravings.    In  one  volume,  12mo  75  cts. 

A  valuable  little  book,  beautifully  and  completely  illustrated. 


Walker — Electrotype  Manipulation . 

Being  the  Theory  and  Plain  Instructions  in  the  Art  of  Working 
in  Metals,  by  Precipitating  them  from  their  Solutions, 
through  the  agency  of  Galvanic  or  Voltaic  Electricity  ;  also 
in  the  Arts  of  Electro-Plating,  Electro-Gilding,  and  Elec- 
tro-Etching; with  an  Account  of  the  Mode  of  Depositing 
Metallic  Oxides,  and  of  the  several  applications  of  Electro- 
type in  the  Arts.  By  Charles  V.  Walker,  Hon.  Sec.  of 
the  London  Electrical  Society,  &c.  Illustrated.  New  edi- 
tion, from  the  Twenty-fifth  London  edition.  12mo...75  cts. 

The  rapid  sale  in  England  of  twenty-five  editions,  and  the  demand  in  this 
country  render  necessary  no  further  guarantee  of  the  value  of  this  book,  lor 
popular  use  it  surpasses  all  other  treatises  on  the  subject. 

Walter  &  Smith — Cottage  and  Villa  Ar- 
chitecture : 

With  Ground-plans  and  Elevations.  By  Thomas  U.  Walter, 
Architect  of  Girard  College,  and  John  Jay  Smith,  Phila- 
delphia Library.    In  two  volumes,  quarto  $5.00 

Walter  &  Smith's  Guide  to  Workers  in 

Metal  and  Stone. 
Consisting  of  Designs  and  Patterns  for  Gates,  Piers,  Balcony 
and  Cemetery  Railing,  Window  Guards,  Balustrades,  Stair- 
cases, Candelabras,  &c.  &c.    Four  parts,  cuarto.  Illus- 
trated by  large  Drawings    $10  00 


2 


HENHY  CASEY  EAIBD'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Byron — Poetical  Works  of  Lord  Byron: 

A  new,  beautiful,  and  complete  edition,  in  eight  volumes,  12mo. 


Cloth  $6.50 

Sheep  8.00 

Cloth  extra,  gilt  edges  9.00 

Half  calf  antique  12.50 

Turk,  moroc.  sup.  extra.. 17. 50 


Four  volumes,  cloth  $4.00 

Sheep  5.00 

Cloth  extra,  gilt  edges  6.50 

Half  calf  antique  7.50 

Turk,  moroc.  sup.  extra...  10.00 


Tales  and  Poems  of  Lord  Byron : 


Byron — 

Illustrated  by  Henry  Warren. 
with  10  plates. 

Scarlet  cloth,  gilt  edges.. $5.00 

Half  calf  antique  6.00 

Calf  antique  extra  7.00 


In  one  volume,  royal  •ctavo, 

Turk,  moroc.  sup.  extra.. $7. 00 
Turk,  moroc.  ant.  extra  7.00 


Campbell — Specimens  of  the  British  Poets 

from  the  time  of  Chaucer  to  the  end  of  the  Eiqht- 
eenth  Century. 

By  Thomas  Campbell.    In  one  volume,  royal  octavo. 

Cloth  $3.50    Turk,  moroc.  sup.  extra.. $6.00 

Extra  beveled  gilt  edges. ..4.00  Turk,  moroc.  ant.  extra. ...6.00 
Half  calf  antique  5.00    Calf  antique  extra  6.00 


Childe  Harold: 

By  Lord  Byron.    With  beautiful  Illustrations.    1  vol.  8vo. 


Cloth  extra,  gilt  edges. ..$5.00 

Half  calf,  antique  6.00 

Turkey  morocco,  extra  7.00 

Turk,  moroc.  ant.  extra. ..7. 00 
Crown  octavo,  cloth  extra, 

gilt  edges  3.00 

Half  calf  antique  4.50 

Turk,  moroc.  sup.  extra. ..5.50 
U 


Turk,  moroc.  ant.  extra.. $5. 50 

Calf  antique  extra  5.50 

A  new  and  cheap  edition, 
with  frontispiece,  12mo, 

cloth  75 

Cloth,  gilt  edges  1.12 

Half  calf  antique  1.62 

Turk.  mor.  sup.  ext.  12mo..2.25 


HENRY  CAREY  BAIRD'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Cowper's  Complete  Poetical  Works: 

Illustrated  with  Fifteen  beautiful  Steel  Engravings,  after  De- 
signs by  John  Gilbert.    Crown  8vo. 


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18 


Date  Due 


